Canada Falcons: All but those hatched in Rochester

[Donna]

Rogue Still Present at MEC, No Sign of Infinity… …Yet.
January 15, 2012 - Mississauga - Executive Centre

Tracy Simpson Reports:

The second stop on the west end tour took Frank and I to the MEC site.  I was able to confirm that the unbanded rogue female is still on site with Eternity, the resident male, and she is looking much more relaxed than she did a week ago. She was sitting on the MEC 3 building underneath the sign looking less edgy than before.

The male was sitting in the sun on the south face of the MEC 3 building and sporting a rather large crop.  I don’t think that there has been a visit in the last few months where he’s been empty!

While we don’t know for certain whether Infinity has migrated or was ousted by this new female, as spring draws closer we shall know who the resident adults for 2012 will be.  This will all get sorted out…  … peregrine style.



!!! Winter Arrives
January 16, 2012 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre

Kathy Reports:

Winter finally arrived on Friday here with cold, snow and blustery winds.  I went outside and checked on our resident pair and saw Angel on her usual perch.  I thought to myself, well the wind is blowing the snow sideways so that should keep her tucked into her corner and quiet.  Wrong!   As I looked up at her she started kacking and immediately launched herself into the air..and I’m looking around thinking..what..nothing else is flying??

Jack, who had been at the back of the ledge and not visible immediately joined her and they both took off after this poor hawk that looked like it was just trying to see where it was going and didn’t realize whose territory he’d ventured into.

Angel drove the poor bird right out of the territory while Jack essentially just provided backup yelling!   Today it’s cold and icy and both of them were out there echupping and flying around like it’s Spring.

Holcim the Last Stop on the Tour; Both Adults Present
January 15, 2012 - Mississauga - Holcim

Tracy Simpson Reports:

The third and final stop that Frank and I made on the west end peregrine tour was at the Holcim plant.  In the past week, we were treated to a sighting of a single adult on one of the taller buildings of the plant.  We returned today in the hopes of finding a pair and were delighted to see that both adults were there sunning themselves on the nest building.

The sun at this point was not in our favor for the best viewing but we still managed to watch the pair for 45 minutes as they preened the day away.  It looks like Holcim is on track for another successful nesting season!!!

[MAK]

  Thanks for the update! 

[Donna]

Stormin and Haven Spotted
January 24, 2012 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton

Frank Butson Reports:

Lyn Reports:Canada Square Peregrines, Tuesday, January 24 2012.

I was heading south on Yonge street towards the Yonge-Eglinton intersection yesterday, when I saw a peregrine fly east from the intersection over the buildings on the north side of Eglinton Ave east. I hurried down to the intersection but missed it over the building. I stood on the corner staring along Eglinton east and saw three small birds fly across Eglinton, north to south and they were hurrying! Continued watching after they had gone and saw the peregrine giving chase.

  I hung out at the corner a few minutes longer to be rewarded with the sight of a peregrine, carrying lunch, struggling against the wind, trying to land on the south east corner of Rio-Can where it had its meal. A second peregrine was in the air diving on the feeding bird and circling both the Rio-Can and Heart and Stroke buildings as well as flying over the Canada Square building. A brief sighting but the two peregrines are still definitely in the area.

Cheers

Lyn

[Carol P.]

Go Storrmin!   

[Donna]

Peregrine Falcon In St Catherines
January 25, 2012 - International, National and Local News

Frank Butson Reports:

Redently Sue and Vince sent me photos that Vince took in St. Catherines Ontario, by the Welland Canal, on the Port Weller Spit. No band could be seen on this young bird. We hope it can be spotted again.

   If you see a Peregrine,send us a report, photos would be great too. We will give photo credit.

Vince’s pictures from Jan. 25 in St.
Catherine’s by the Welland
Canal in Port Weller spit. No band was visible.  Thanks to Vince Filteau for his photos.

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/2012/01/sightings/peregrine-falcon-in-st-catherines/ Pics of Juvie here

Holcim Pair Hanging Tight
January 29, 2012 - Mississauga - Holcim

Tracy Simpson Reports:

After the weekend we had last weekend, we decided to try our luck again with the Holcim pair.  When we arrived, the female was on one of the buildings right in the centre of the property.  Within a couple of minutes, the starlings that were lounging along the east side took to the air and we looked for a potential culprit.  Next thing we see is the male perched above the female in the same area of the plant.  After a few fairly good looks, I can say for sure that he is a Canadian born and bred boy as his solid black band was clearly visible.  We went down to a local park to check out some of the offshore wildlife, figuring that the pair might move in our absence.  By the time we returned, they were still sitting in the same spot as we left them looking like a pair of gargoyles.

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/2012/01/sightings/holcim-pair-hanging-tight/ pic here

King St Pair in the Area
January 29, 2012 - Toronto - King Street

Tracy Simpson Reports:

After visitng the Holcim site, Frank and I went down to King St to check in on Erin and her mate.  The male has yet to show us who he is but not for lack of us trying.  Erin was sitting on the retaining wall above the nest ledge and we didn’t have a sight on the male.  She took off after a few minutes and we decided to get a slice of pizza.  Looking out the window as we ate, in flies the male!  Gulp goes the food and we grab our gear for a look.  He drops down into what Linda told me is called “the shoulderâ€� on the northeast corner of the building and emerges a good half hour later all messy.  He had obviously stashed lunch up there.  He sat for some time, even through a quick snowfall that he didn’t like, before taking off to go visit his lady.  She was on the Dundee building digesting her own large crop.  He came back and landed on the top of 20 Toronto St. where I was able to get the scope on him.  In the failing light, I was only able to get one positive look as he took off.  This male has a solid black Canadian band on his right leg.  We’ll be back to try again on a nice sunny day to try and definatively identify the mate of Erin.

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/2012/01/sightings/king-st-pair-in-the-area/ See pic of the mystery male here.

[Donna]

!!! Finally get to Log In
February 03, 2012 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge

Dennis Patrick Reports:

Hi there everyone
Since Dec 21, 2011 I’ve tried to log in several times and finally can sign in. Really not too much to report, Freddie and Voltaire are still hanging around the nest site then flying away and coming back and doing a lot of preening. Hey, they’re courting so why should’t they be preening. Dennis and I are looking forward to seeing them with their new babies again this year. If you would like to be a volunteer please let us know.
Gwen & Dennis Site Co-ordinators CPF

[Donna]

!!! Courtney is still around, and is STILL chasing MOM & DAD AROUND FOR FREE HANDOUTS!!
February 02, 2012 - Brampton - Courthouse

CPF Postmaster Reports:

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/2012/02/sightings/courtney-is-still-around-and-is-still-chasing-mom-dad-around-for-free-handouts/

!!! Yonge & Eglinton Pefa’s - Canada Square,, Who’s looking at Who?
January 21, 2012 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton

CPF Postmaster Reports:

A big thanks to Julie who was able to capture some great shots of the resident adult male at the Canada Square nest site at Yonge & Eglinton - (named “Stormin�), who was produced at the Toronto Sheraton nest site in 2009).

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/2012/02/sightings/yonge-eglinton-pefas-canada-square-whos-looking-at-who/

[Shaky]

!!! Courtney is still around, and is STILL chasing MOM & DAD AROUND FOR FREE HANDOUTS!!

Kids these days.

[BIGFRANK]

Recently we received photos of the resident male at our 18 King St location. Thanks to Steve Warner of Solar Window Washing, who has sent us some of the photos that he managed to snap while operating the swing stage during the 2011 banding,we can say with 100% certainty that it is Windwhistler(aka Spike) who will be 14 this year! His mate at King St is Erin who will also be 14 this season.  Windwhistler was the resident male from 2004-2007 at The Toronto Sheraton and at 18 King St. He fathered young at both nests during this period. He was replaced at the Sheraton by one of his 18King St sons,named Tiago. Windwhistler stayed at 18 King St nest and continued to produce. Fathering chicks at 2 nests has made him the most prolific breeder in Ontario,with 39 young hatched over the years. At least 5 of his young are known to be nesting elsewhere now. This is great news!!

[Donna]

Recently we received photos of the resident male at our 18 King St location. Thanks to Steve Warner of Solar Window Washing, who has sent us some of the photos that he managed to snap while operating the swing stage during the 2011 banding,we can say with 100% certainty that it is Windwhistler(aka Spike) who will be 14 this year! His mate at King St is Erin who will also be 14 this season.  Windwhistler was the resident male from 2004-2007 at The Toronto Sheraton and at 18 King St. He fathered young at both nests during this period. He was replaced at the Sheraton by one of his 18King St sons,named Tiago. Windwhistler stayed at 18 King St nest and continued to produce. Fathering chicks at 2 nests has made him the most prolific breeder in Ontario,with 39 young hatched over the years. At least 5 of his young are known to be nesting elsewhere now. This is great news!!

Can you say that again a bit slower. I'm so confused! 

[Dumpsterkitty]

Recently we received photos of the resident male at our 18 King St location. Thanks to Steve Warner of Solar Window Washing, who has sent us some of the photos that he managed to snap while operating the swing stage during the 2011 banding,we can say with 100% certainty that it is Windwhistler(aka Spike) who will be 14 this year! His mate at King St is Erin who will also be 14 this season.  Windwhistler was the resident male from 2004-2007 at The Toronto Sheraton and at 18 King St. He fathered young at both nests during this period. He was replaced at the Sheraton by one of his 18King St sons,named Tiago. Windwhistler stayed at 18 King St nest and continued to produce. Fathering chicks at 2 nests has made him the most prolific breeder in Ontario,with 39 young hatched over the years. At least 5 of his young are known to be nesting elsewhere now. This is great news!!

Can you say that again a bit slower. I'm so confused! 

The short version-Jack & Archer are not the original tiercels with 2 active nests. 

Windwhistler (he was called Spike at one of the nests until it became clear it was the same bird) was the resident tiercel at both the Sheraton with Wind and at King St. with Mandy for several years.  At the Sheraton, Rhea Mae displaced Wind and Tiago (hatched King St. 2005) displaced his father.  It has been difficult to get a band read on the tiercel at King St. for a while now, but I think most everyone thought it was still Windwhistler.  That has now been confirmed.

I don't know when Erin displaced Mandy, but I know she was only ID'd as the new female in the last year or so.

[BIGFRANK]

Erin is Mandy. We identified her recently from a 2002 photo from King St and a 2011 photo at King St. "Mandy" was a name given when she was unidentified. If U look back Mark just has a bad memory. Erin was ID'd 3 years in a row. Each year he posted as if it was new news.

[Donna]

Recently we received photos of the resident male at our 18 King St location. Thanks to Steve Warner of Solar Window Washing, who has sent us some of the photos that he managed to snap while operating the swing stage during the 2011 banding,we can say with 100% certainty that it is Windwhistler(aka Spike) who will be 14 this year! His mate at King St is Erin who will also be 14 this season.  Windwhistler was the resident male from 2004-2007 at The Toronto Sheraton and at 18 King St. He fathered young at both nests during this period. He was replaced at the Sheraton by one of his 18King St sons,named Tiago. Windwhistler stayed at 18 King St nest and continued to produce. Fathering chicks at 2 nests has made him the most prolific breeder in Ontario,with 39 young hatched over the years. At least 5 of his young are known to be nesting elsewhere now. This is great news!!

Can you say that again a bit slower. I'm so confused! 

The short version-Jack & Archer are not the original tiercels with 2 active nests. 

Windwhistler (he was called Spike at one of the nests until it became clear it was the same bird) was the resident tiercel at both the Sheraton with Wind and at King St. with Mandy for several years.  At the Sheraton, Rhea Mae displaced Wind and Tiago (hatched King St. 2005) displaced his father.  It has been difficult to get a band read on the tiercel at King St. for a while now, but I think most everyone thought it was still Windwhistler.  That has now been confirmed.

I don't know when Erin displaced Mandy, but I know she was only ID'd as the new female in the last year or so.

Ok thanks! So Windwhistler has been around since 2007 when Tiago replaced him? (At King St)? Supposedly? Falcons can be so confusing at times!  OMG now Erin is Mandy too!! Help me!

[BIGFRANK]

Windwhistler had been at King and at Sheraton from 2004-2007 servicing both nests. Windwhistler produced / sired a total of 9 chicks (2004 to 2007) over 4 seasons at the Toronto Sheraton Centre nest site, while simultaneously producing a total of 30 chicks (2003 to 2011) over 9 seasons at the Toronto 18 King street nest site. Erin showed up in 2002 but wasnt identified for many years(she was called Many while unidentified for some reason unknown to me) When Erin was ID'd several years ago as an older bird,there was speculation as to where she had been for so long. In actuallity, she was the resident female since 2002 and was Mandy. We verified this from photos. This makes sense as she would have been a 2 or 3 year old her first nesting season at King St.  We were well aware of his double timing as it was happening,it was a running joke, that he kept his girlfriend at the Sheraton and his wife at the King Edward Hotel(the original nestsite across the road from 18 King) It had been some years since he was re-confirmed as the resident male at King.Now is all that clear as mud?

[Donna]

Windwhistler had been at King and at Sheraton from 2004-2007 servicing both nests. Windwhistler produced / sired a total of 9 chicks (2004 to 2007) over 4 seasons at the Toronto Sheraton Centre nest site, while simultaneously producing a total of 30 chicks (2003 to 2011) over 9 seasons at the Toronto 18 King street nest site. Erin showed up in 2002 but wasnt identified for many years(she was called Many while unidentified for some reason unknown to me) When Erin was ID'd several years ago as an older bird,there was speculation as to where she had been for so long. In actuallity, she was the resident female since 2002 and was Mandy. We verified this from photos. This makes sense as she would have been a 2 or 3 year old her first nesting season at King St.  We were well aware of his double timing as it was happening,it was a running joke, that he kept his girlfriend at the Sheraton and his wife at the King Edward Hotel(the original nestsite across the road from 18 King) It had been some years since he was re-confirmed as the resident male at King.Now is all that clear as mud?

Heck no!! I'm hittin the bottle!

Ok, OK, I'm gettin it, so Windwhistler has been under our noses all these years!!