Canada Falcons: All but those hatched in Rochester

[Donna]

Windsor Banding Day:The Extraction
- Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Frank Butson Reports:

On June 6th,2011 2 healthy chicks were banded,Lady Gaga and Spitfire . Prior to their banding they had to be removed from their nest. This is a short video of CPF’s Marion Nash removing the chicks before they are banded.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx5gFdhpzpo#

[Donna]

!!! Brampton nest site update! Currently incubating two eggs!
June 08, 2011 - International, National and Local News
CPF Postmaster Reports:

We have finally been given permission to post the photos e-mailed to us from the folks at the Brampton courthouse where Milton and Truss are currently incubating at least two eggs.
A big thank you to the property manager for all of their support and photos.
Stay tuned, more news to follow………

!!! Brampton photos of Milton and Truss!!
June 07, 2011 - International, National and Local News
Mark Nash Reports:

A huge thank you to Winston for allowing us to post his great photos and observation report of Milton and Truss. Wish I was there!!!
Winston writes:

Hi Mark,

Good to hear that you are aware of the Brampton peregrines and that you are taking steps to communicate their presence.
I would love to help with photos or banding should the opportunity arise. I work close to the courthouse and could even help out on my lunch hours.
I am submitting some pictures from the last two days that I give permission to use. The ones of the Killdeer are from yesterday, the kill was dropped off at the Northwest corner, then the adult quickly flew off and today a not so friendly American Kestrel forced one of the peregrines from its perch and actually south down Hurontario towards the 407.
Good luck, and keep up the good work!
Winston

Great pics!  http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/2011/06/sightings/brampton-photos-of-milton-and-truss/

[carla]

Thahnks for sharing that video and for the information from the CPF.
Greetings Carla

[Donna]

!!! Lady Ga Ga and Spitfire
June 08, 2011 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:

Where do I start???? Monday, June 6th was such a wonderful day. First I would like to say a big Thank You to Centerline Equipment Rental and Sure Seal Roofing for their continued support. Also, Dan Reaume, Chris and John from the Ambassador Bridge Company. Mark and Marion Nash from CPF. Pud Hunter, our Bander and Catherine and Stephanie who assisted Pud with the banding. I’m sure I’m missing someone but stay tune for more details and pictures when Dennis has the time to do the reporting. I hope I did the correct spelling for the female name. Both of the young ones were healthy and loved it when I spritzed them with a little water. It’s amazing how that calms them down. Thank you everyone, it’s a great thing for Windsor to see the interest in these beautiful creatures that are now on the Ambassador Bridge. If you would like to volunteer to watch these birds please email us at wpfw2011@gmail.com
Gwen

http://www.windsorstar.com/videos/news/video.html?embedCode=B4YmZpMjpHceA2g_uQCtvajm3Lzkc5wy  Video

[Donna]

!!! A good clear look at Truss, her band numbers and her eggs!
June 08, 2011 - Brampton - Courthouse
Mark Nash Reports:

A huge thank you to Ed for sending in some of his photos that he captured today of Truss on the nest ledge. In these photos, you can get a clear look at Truss’s band number and a proof positive confirmation of her identity. As many of you are already aware, Truss is a local gal, produced at the Burlington Bridge nest site in 2009. She dawns a Black 36 over Black X

With so many failed eggs and low production from many of our southern Ontario urban nest sites this year, we all have our fingers crossed that Truss and Milton are successful in hatching their eggs again this year.

Stay tuned………..

[jeanne]

Does anyone know-- is this the Milton who returned to his nest last year to find another male?

[Dumpsterkitty]

Does anyone know-- is this the Milton who returned to his nest last year to find another male?

Almost 100% sure this is the same Milton who was displaced by Jack.  Wasn't it after he was injured & released from rehab?

[Donna]

Does anyone know-- is this the Milton who returned to his nest last year to find another male?

Almost 100% sure this is the same Milton who was displaced by Jack.  Wasn't it after he was injured & released from rehab?

Brampton Territorial Male Identified
April 30, 2011 - International, National and Local News
Tracy Simpson Reports:

Bruce Massey was on-site today and was able to make a positive identification of the male.  It is the bird known as Milton that was hatched at the Gulf Tower in Pittsburg in 2002.  This male and his young mate, Truss from the Burlington Lift Bridge in 2009, are still holding the territory but their status as a nesting pair is still in question.  While copulation was witnessed by Bruce last week, the adults are being seen off of the ledge at the same time most often.  There was a period today where both birds entered the ledge and “discussed the situationâ€� but it is apparent that incubation is not underway at this time.  With the change over of the female from an unbanded one reported earlier to now being Truss has certainly disrupted cycles and timing at this potentially new site.  We will continue to monitor and update as we follow the pair this season.

[carly]

Does anyone know-- is this the Milton who returned to his nest last year to find another male?

Yes this is the same Milton.  Jack stole his site and his girl.  The released him from rehab a few days before his TR Mom and Jack's eggs hatched.  Very, very happy he found a new place to call home!

[jeanne]

Great!!!  I remember that Milton went back to his mate after he was released and there was some territorial disputes!  I'm so glad he is ok and has found another mate!!!

[Donna]

A great day at Nanticoke OPG and some very good news!! Marla Black 15 over Black X with hatchlings!
June 09, 2011 - International, National and Local News
Mark Nash Reports:

Thursday June 9th
We have some good news to report from the Nanticoke Ontario Power Generation plant! After spending a great day with plant staff doing presentations for environmental week, we are very happy to report that their earlier reports of peregrine nesting activity has been confirmed.

Both Tracy and I had a great morning with approx. 70 OPG plant staff and four members of our feathered educational team. A huge thank you to Ulrich for bringing in his two eagles that joined us for the morning presentation. A very good morning indeed!

The afternoon was spent with plant staff investigating their earlier reports of peregrine activity and we have some further good news to report.

OPG Nanticoke has their first pair nesting peregrine falcons! We were able to both confirm the identity of the resident female peregrine as being a 2009 Etobicoke produced bird named Ms. Marla, banded with a Black 15 over Black X. We were also able to confirm that she has new recently hatched young! The now so good news has yet to be confirmed.

Earlier reports from the OPG plant staff is that there has been ongoing territorial disputes going on with another adult male, the staff have witnessed aerial between the two males earlier on in the week.

A resident male was not observed at all during our visit, and other observations recorded during our visit would suggest that there may not be a resident male attending.

We watched the Ms. Marla fly in to the net ledge with food and feed her offspring with no signs of a resident male. We also observed a Turkey vulture flying overhead during this dame time period, and at no time did we see a resident male defending or present anywhere.

On two separate occasions during our one plus hour observation period, the resident female Ms. Marla called out looking for her mate, but once again, no male ever responded or attended.

Speculation that the resident male may have been injured in the earlier aerial battles with the other male peregrine and may have succumb to injuries sustained in a battle and has been killed.

It is very odd to see the resident female with new hatchlings having to leave the nest to get her own food, as the resident male is usually supplying her with food directly to the nest ledge at this stage of family rearing with new born hatchlings in the nest. While the pair usually have a number of food cache spots where the male stashes fresh food that they can both draw from, and occasionally the resident female will leave new hatchlings to draw from these stashes herself, it is the male that usually delivers food directly to her, to the nest ledge to feed the chicks.

Further to this, Marla called out and loudly vacuolized on several occasions during our visit to attract the attention of her mate, but no response was ever heard, and no male was ever seen.

The fact that the Turkey vulture was allowed to come this close to the nest ledge un challenged by the adult male (especially with new hatchlings on the nest ledge), might also suggest the absence of a resident male. While it is entirely possible that the resident male may have simply been out hunting or taking a break on another part of the plant out of eye sight of the nest and his mate, the entire situation remains very suspicions indeed.

Further observations are needed to get a better handle on the situation before any hard conclusions can be made.

On a more positive note, the nest ledge is a great spot that is hidden under a huge conveyor belt structure with only a single accesses in and out to a completely closed-in portion of the superstructure frame underneath the conveyor superstructure , and it provides ideal protection both from the elements and any avian predators that might be in the neighbourhood.

The abundance of available food sources in the area also offer more than enough food and all in all, this is a fantastic location and nest site for the peregrines.
Stay tuned……..

Wow, both injured or worse. So sad especially with babies.

[Donna]

!!! Banding Day! A very successful day indeed! 3 healthy hatchlings!
June 10, 2011 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Mark Nash Reports:

A huge success banding the three young hatchlings today and lots of excitement!!

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/2011/06/sightings/banding-day-a-very-successful-day-indeed-3-healthy-hatchlings/

[Donna]

These guys are raring to go
June 11, 2011 - Port Colborne - ADM Mill
Doug Garbutt Reports:

It seems that if only the young ones here could get rid of those pesky white downy feathers, they would take the big  jump. They don’t have many left and they’re quickly shedding them. When they flap their wings like crazy in the box,  it looks like a snow storm. The downy feathers just fly in the air. It will be  very soon (perhaps tomorrow) when they get the guts to go. Trouble here is that there nothing but a whole lot of water 200 feet below their box. If they can’t fly, they will have to swim. We all know that won’t happen especially with 200 seagulls trying to drown the falcon who can’t swim! I’ll let you know when they do get the nerve.  Water and buildings....a no no.

June 11, 2011 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Kathy Reports:

Day 36 and all is well with the Etobicoke trio.  I spent approximately 6 hours at the site today, rain was expected but it held off so it was a nice day in spite of the clouds.

Both Jack and Angel were in the house when I arrived.  Aside for leaving twice to check on his other family, Jack spent most of the six hours at our site.   The kids are pretty dark now and one of them is still about a day or so behind in development and still had some visible white fluff on his/her chest.  Of course that was the one racing up and down the ledge flapping his wings as if it was a runway.

The other two seemed quite relaxed and save for a flap here and there when a parent flew by the ledge, they didn’t seem to keen on moving much.  One took a 2 hour nap in the nestbox at one point while the other two sat side by side beaking and preening each other.   

At approximately 2:45 Jack brought food to Angel and she took it into the ledge and beak fed them.  It was a small package and incited some excited screaming and yelling that was obviously a complaint at the lack of substance.  A few minutes later Angel flew to the cache and came in with more food which one of young promptly stole and ran into a corner with.  Not one to be deterred, Mom went right over and repossessed it and promptly proceeded to feed them all.   Finally satisfied, all three laid down for a nap and that is how I left them.

The ‘official’ fledge watch will start this Monday with Frank and crew being on site from dawn to dusk.  I will be out tomorrow for a few hours just to ensure they are still on the ledge and I expect they will be.  The parents aren’t doing fly by’s and mom is still beak feeding them so they obviously feel they need a few more days as well.

A big thank you to Joyce and MAK, two falcon fans from Rochester who came by to say hello and visit with the family today.  It was a pleasure to meet you both!

!!! Chicks getting bigger!!!!
June 11, 2011 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:

This morning we visited the site. Freddie was on the Pipe and Voltaire was busy feeding Lady Gaga and Spitfire. When she was done she took the rest of the food and flew on to the East West beam. Lady Gaga and Spitfire are getting bigger as the days go by. When we left both of them were resting, Freddie and Voltaire were sitting close by each other on the beam close to the nest ledge. One big happy family.
Gwen

[Donna]

Canada Square Banding Day Photos!!!
June 11, 2011 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Tracy Simpson Reports:

A tremendously exciting day at the Canada Square building at Yonge and Eglinton where three beautiful chicks named Luke, Chester and Buzz were banded.  A big thank you to all that made this fabulous day possible!!  Here are some more pictures of this amazing event.  I was able to get some images of the female taking care of the “villainâ€� and dispatching him from her nest ledge.  The resident female did a fabulous job and Stormin’ took the fantastic crew from Solar Window Washing to task as well.  Enjoy!!

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/2011/06/sightings/canada-square-banding-day-photos/ pics

[Donna]

Pretty Uneventful, But It Won’t Be Long
June 12, 2011 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Sue McCreadie Reports:

June 10th – It was pretty uneventful except for the US Steel Workers Protest on the bridge.  Our Peregrines didn’t seem to mind all the flags and people that were about. It was surprising to see the interest that the Steelworkers and their children took in the falcons.  Many had no idea that they even nested on the bridge.  Around 3:00 in the afternoon, Mom caught a pigeon right under the Skyway.  The Steelworks watched in amazement as she took it to a telephone pole across the canal to prepare it.  After taking her share, she made a drop at the nest box.  It was the first time in 3 days that we had seen the juvies get a meal.  However, we are not there 24/7.

We had a visit from MAK and Joyce from Rochester who were on their way to the CPF banding at the Scarborough Yellow Pages site.  It was nice to meet the girls and share our common interest.

June 11th - A very cold and grey day at the Bridge.  Heavy jackets required.  Just a whole lot of wing flapping going on.  I think lift off will be pretty soon.  There is no white down left and they are sure exercising those wings.

It’s very interesting this year with our new Dad Mackenzie.  He is certainly a feisty little guy and he does not shy away from a Pigeon, a Cormorant, a Gull or even a Turkey Vulture.  On several occasions we have seen him trying to teach the gulls and cormorants that they are not to be anywhere near “Hisâ€� bridge.  The other interesting thing is that he and Mom are hunting in tandem.  It is so interesting to watch.  Sir Adam Beck was never much of a hunter and we never saw him bring in a pigeon.  Mackenzie brings in the pigeons even though it is a struggle for him to manage.

We’re off again.  Hoping that all goes well with the fledge of our girls.

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/2011/06/sightings/pretty-uneventful-but-it-wont-be-long/ some pics