Canada Falcons: All but those hatched in Rochester

[Donna]

Video by Big Frank of the Yonge and Eglinton fledges

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmp0liSv9II

Thanks Big Frank, sounds like Rochester in the background.

[DebbieB]

Video by Big Frank of the Yonge and Eglinton fledges

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmp0liSv9II

Thanks Big Frank, sounds like Rochester in the background.

Their coloring is different - more of a copper.  They are beautiful!

[MAK]

Very nice. Thanks big Frank.

[Donna]

Again, Mark tells it like it is!

!!! While the kids maybe out of the house, the parents still have the hardest job ahead of them!
July 03, 2010 - Toronto - Uptown Yonge and Eglinton
Mark Nash Reports:

While the “kids� maybe away from the house (or off the nest ledge) at the moment, its only for a short time. The resident adults still have the hardest part of their job still to come.

Ongoing protection, feeding and training the “teenagers� to fend for themselves is a huge task for the two resident adults.

So far, the three remaining fledglings seem to be doing quite well, staying aloft and away from the windows. The very good news: Is that each of the juveniles have all brushed up into the windows, and unlike many other birds, the young peregrines actually learn the dangers of the windows, and if they hit them softly and don’t injure themselves on these initial collisions, they do learn to stay away from glass.

This is an important lesson learned, as they will soon be picking up incredible speeds as they get older and more experienced, and if they have not learned the “window lesson “ early in their flight development, collisions with the windows at advanced ages usually results in serious injury or most often mortality due to the speeds that the juveniles are now travelling. We actually hope that they experience the “window lesson� early in their maiden flights, as they are slow and sloppy in their flights, and usually hit them softly at this stage.

For the next 30 to 60 days, the juveniles will be utilizing the nest ledge and still sleeping there most nights. Far from independent and able to feed them selves at this point, the youngsters have much to learn now that they can fly.

The adults will have to teach them many of the life skills that the juveniles will have to learn to survive to adulthood, or should I say, just survive another day)!!

Remember that by mid September, thousands of years of hard wired instincts will have the young juveniles head south on a migration and with upwards of an 80% mortality and many perils and risks, the juveniles will need all of the help that they can just to survive their first year.

The adult parents have their job cut out for them while teaching the juveniles how, what and where to hunt food, and how to recognize and escape from all of the “bad guys� out there. At this point, even their landings are terrible, as it takes allot of practice just to brake and coordinate a good landing!

Even after the juveniles have learned what to hunt (where and how to hunt it), there will be many trials and errors (misses and failures) before they are actually able to catch anything them selves, and this will take some time to hone their hunting skills. During this entire period, they will still be dependant on their adults parents for all of their food.

Stay tuned, and look to the skies, as the best viewing is yet to come!!

Thank you Mark Nash!

[Donna]

 All 3 Young Flying Well
- Toronto - Uptown Yonge and Eglinton
Frank Butson Reports:

Lyn Reports: I braved the hot and humid weather and went out at 5:30pm looking for the Peregrines.I looked skywards and found two youngsters on the Southwest corner of the RioCan building.
When I arrived at the EMS ramp (between old and new bus bays) I was not able to see the youngsters on the RioCan building but did see the third youngster - BRACE YOURSELVES -
fly/flutter/fly onto one of the concrete things between windows on the Heart and Stroke building - second floor from the top!!!!!!  This was a female (I saw her fly later and the size indicated the sex to me).
One of the youngsters flew from the RioCan building across and in front of the Heart and Stroke (H&S) building, saw the sibling, flew close but did not try and land and after several more flights back and forth ended up on the Southeast corner of the H & S building.
I saw Mom fly in and land on the top level of the RioCan building. Things were still for a bit then there was more flying and the level above the third balcony south of the concrete slab/wall was used .
There was a bird on that ledge and feathers were flying every which way!  Mom flew in and out and another of the youngsters flew in then I lost track of who was coming and going! Eventually two of the youngsters flew around to the Northeast end of the TTC/nest building and one youngster flew South to land on the railing around the antenna at the Southwest end of the TVO building.
I also saw one of the youngsters come in for a landing on the nest building .It flew in very carefully, with plenty of wing fluttering, slowed almost to a standstill and landed!
All in all a lovely 3/4 hour spent watching them. Every day they have more and more control. Lyn

[MAK]

 

[Donna]

 BRANT IS MISSING - PLEASE KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN
July 06, 2010 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Sue McCreadie Reports:

A call was received yesterday that there was a downed peregrine on the Skyway Bridge.  Watchers have completed a full search of the area and the Skyway both Toronto Bound and Niagara Bound.  Animal Control reported that the only downed birds they located were a pigeon and a gull.  Saying that, the last account of all 4 birds was on Sunday.  As of last evening and early this morning, our head count was of 3 birds only.  Please be on the lookout for a juvenile peregrine (Yellow and Blue Band on the right leg) that may be grounded somewhere within the vicinity of the Burlington Skyway.

Oh poor baby, hope they find him.

[Donna]

BRANT IS MISSING - PLEASE KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN
July 06, 2010 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Sue McCreadie Reports:

A call was received yesterday that there was a downed peregrine on the Skyway Bridge.  Watchers have completed a full search of the area and the Skyway both Toronto Bound and Niagara Bound.  Animal Control reported that the only downed birds they located were a pigeon and a gull.  Saying that, the last account of all 4 birds was on Sunday.  As of last evening and early this morning, our head count was of 3 birds only.  Please be on the lookout for a juvenile peregrine (Yellow and Blue Band on the right leg) that may be grounded somewhere within the vicinity of the Burlington Skyway.

Oh poor baby, hope they find him.

 DOWNED PEREGRINE ON THE SKYWAY BRIDGE
July 07, 2010 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Sue McCreadie Reports:

If the person who saw and reported a downed Peregrine on the Skyway Bridge on Monday afternoon should read this, would you please contact Mark Nash of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation.  Thank you.

[Donna]

!!! Tara’s at it again with the glass balcony enclosures and her balcony inspections!
July 08, 2010 - Toronto - Uptown Yonge and Eglinton
Mark Nash Reports:

Once again, a huge thank you to the local community and Rosemary who lives in the Yonge & Eglinton area for both her concern and for making the calls to find someone that could help a young peregrine once again trapped behind a glass balcony enclosure on the 53rd floor level of one of the condo’s.

We received a message from the good folks at Toronto Wildlife about the story and that no intervention was needed to help Tara.

After struggling for closse to an hour while trying to figure out why she couldn’t get through the glass of the balcony enclosure, Tara finally figured it out. Jump up onto a chair, then jump up to the small table, and then jump up onto the balcony rail and away I go! Once again, a valuable lesson learned!! Over the next two weeks, all of the juveniles should have built up the necessary muscle mass and strength to overcome these little challenges, and they all should be able to fly almost directly up to the balcony rails without any furniture assistance. Remembering also that this hot humid air makes every flight a challenge, even for the adult peregrines!
No rescue was needed for Tara this time.

Girls! 

[Donna]

! Mom & The Boys
July 09, 2010 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Kathy Reports:

Today finally brought some relief from the heat wave and some much needed rain.  It also brought out the falcons!   They haven’t been seen as much compared to past years partly due to the oppressive heat.  I see them at around 7:00 am in the morning chasing mom for food and Baylie has reported seeing them in the evenings.  Like humans, they are scarce during the high heat of the day.  They were having a blast this morning, playing tag, locking talons and chasing mom around the buildings.  It was a joy to hear their excited screams!

Sadly, for the past two weeks both Baylie and I have only seen two juveniles.  We had a storm two weeks ago Sunday and since then one of the boys hasn’t been seen.   We have had no reports of any falcons down so that is encouraging and it is not unheard of that some young disperse early and until we hear otherwise I will remain optimistic.   I also have not seen Jack at all for the past week however that is not unusual.  I am surprised though at how little involvement he has had with the juveniles training compared to past years.

Mom is doing 95% of the work which includes defending her nest site area.  She’s doing an outstanding job, both boys are flying really well and look very strong and healthy!

[jeanne]

Mom should have booted out Jack and kept Milton

[Donna]

Mom should have booted out Jack and kept Milton

Milton was a cutie...and "Yeah"

[Donna]

!!! Rescue at Holcim
July 11, 2010 - Mississauga - St Lawrence Cement
Marion Nash Reports:

Just wanted to let you know that we had to rescue one of our chicks last
night. He was seen by one of our shift crew hopping along one of our
plant parking lots near the maintenance shop. He was safely and carefully
rescued and placed in a box. He was then taken up to the top of a silo.
They left the box for the bird to hide in given the night skies and
potential for predators. As of 5:30 a.m., the chick was seen sitting on
the ledge of the silo. I am attaching a photo. He is safe and sound and
hopefully keeps air under his wings in the days ahead.

Barb Smith

[Donna]

!!! Jack Makes an Appearance!
July 13, 2010 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Kathy Reports:

As of 7:20 am this morning, our ever elusive Jack is on the nestbox looking quite pleased with himself.

One of the boys caught his own breakfast this morning and was happily flying around with it in his talons screaming his head off with pride.  Mom just continued preening as he flew in under where she is perched and landed on one of the ledges to enjoy his prize!

One Big Happy Family
July 13, 2010 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:

That is the only way I can describe our family of 5 Peregrine Falcons, Freddie & Voltaire, the Dad and Mom and then the three chicks Bridgette, Windsor and Lancer. Sunday around 6 P.M. we saw Freddie sitting on the pipe resting and then Bridgette came screaming in and basically booted him off as if saying “I’m hungry so go and get me something to eat�. It was funny to see that action! Then she sat on the pipe just screaming to her hearts content. A few minutes later we saw Voltaire fly in with a food package along with Windsor and Lancer. She dropped it on the side of the abutment and then flew of to sit on the Church Steeple. Windsor and Lancer flew off but then came back with Freddie and a smaller bird. Everything was happening so fast it’s hard to say who got the bird. All I know it was so great to see the whole family together. Pigeons seem to be few and far between all the 5 Pegrine Falcons. As you can tell we are both lovers of those amazing creatures. It’s a dream come true for us to see 5 Peregrines flying around here in Windsor. One of our Members emailed us to say that she was driving over the bridge and she saw one of the chicks sitting on the railing. Thanks Vivi. Keep looking up because you never know what you’re going to see.

 3 In Sight
July 13, 2010 - Toronto - Uptown Yonge and Eglinton
Frank Butson Reports:

Lyn Reports:  Had a brief sighting of the juveniles today.
I had been sitting at the table in my living room,when I heard lots of loud
squawks,so I went onto the balcony and saw a juvie flying and fluttering as
it squawked way over to Redpath Ave,which is several roads east of Yonge at Eglinton. Eventually it disappeared.
I went outside a little later and found all three juveniles on the nest
building !!! One was on the nest ledge north of where the nest was/is. A second one was on the level below that,underneath the other one and I think these two were the females. The third one, which I think was the male was squawking where he sat on the antenna on the nest building. He never stopped! The first to fly was the female on the ledge below the nest ledge. She is a very big bird,likely Cyclone.  She flew across Eglinton Avenue, across the *glass building* and north up Duplex Ave and out of sight.

 The second to fly, about ten minutes later, was the other female,probably Tara. She flew around the building to Yonge street and I could not follow in time to see where she went. When both the females took off they squawked madly but once they were nicely airborne they stopped their noise and put all their energy into the flight. And Typhoon just sat on the antenna he was on and squawked!
Cheers
Lyn

[Donna]

Spent week in 'rehab' after injury
July 14, 2010

Peregrine falcon Chedoke is soaring Hamilton’s skies again after recovering from a soft tissue injury two weeks ago.

Chedoke is one of four chicks hatched this spring from the nest atop the downtown Sheraton Hamilton Hotel where the endangered birds first started nesting in 1995.

The falcons and nests, captured by cameras above the ledge, have fascinated Hamiltonians and observers worldwide through the Internet.

Live camera screening and flying surveillance by the Hamilton Community Falcon Project was about to end but was extended when Chedoke, the youngest of the brood, suffered an injury June 30.

Observers believe she crashed into a window on the Stelco Tower downtown on King Street West.

Audrey Gamble, volunteer with the Hamilton Naturalist Club and lead monitor of the falcon project, said Chedoke underwent rehab at the Owl Foundation where she had a week of ‘bed rest.’

"She’s gaining strength and stamina,� Gamble said.

Falconwatch was reinstated when Chedoke was injured and has gone on longer than the norm because of it, but should wrap up in the next day or two, depending on Chedoke’s continued progress, Gamble said.

The chicks usually leave the area around the end of August after they have learned to fly and hunt on their own. This year’s four chicks bring the total number of falcons hatched at the Sheraton to 50.

 Chedoke the falcon chick injured its left wing during its first flight recently. the injury is plainly visible in this photo.

Here's hoping Jemison comes back soon!