Canada Falcons: All but those hatched in Rochester

[jeanne]

  Dear little one, we mourn your passing along with the other little ones we so cherish

[carly]

Banding was today in Edmonton for the U of Alberta nest.  Three of the four babies have been held back by Gord as they were in rough shape, two especially were infested with bugs and Gord said their health so bad the would likely not have survived another week.  Bev has just updated and said that Gord has confirmed that the two smaller ones both have Frounce and will be treated, he feels they have a chance.

She will post more details to BCAW later.  Only one of the four babies was well enough to be returned back to the parents.  Elaine also said that Gord will remove the nestbox and replace it as this one is no longer fit for occupancy.

I haven't been watching much but others that have reported the kids didn't look quite right and Bev's instincts as always proved correct - she knew something was wrong last week.

http://www.peregrinefalcon-bcaw.net/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=1288&start=320  

[Carol P.]

Banding was today in Edmonton for the U of Alberta nest.  Three of the four babies have been held back by Gord as they were in rough shape, two especially were infested with bugs and Gord said their health so bad the would likely not have survived another week.  Bev has just updated and said that Gord has confirmed that the two smaller ones both have Frounce and will be treated, he feels they have a chance.

She will post more details to BCAW later.  Only one of the four babies was well enough to be returned back to the parents.  Elaine also said that Gord will remove the nestbox and replace it as this one is no longer fit for occupancy.

I haven't been watching much but others that have reported the kids didn't look quite right and Bev's instincts as always proved correct - she knew something was wrong last week.

http://www.peregrinefalcon-bcaw.net/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=1288&start=320  

Thank goodness they got to them when they did! At least now they have a chance to survive.   

[Donna]

Oh gee, how awful but as Carol said, they caught it in time and they have a good chance to fledge. Sorry though! 

[Dumpsterkitty]

Poor babies! At least they got help in time...

[nwfloridafalconfan]

For those like me who had no idea what Flounce is:

http://www.themodernapprentice.com/frounce.htm

[Kris G.]

!!! Waterloo Female Identified; It’s Statler!!
June 27, 2012 - Kitchener - Sun Life Centre

Tracy Simpson Reports:

On Wednesday June 27th, I paid a visit to the Waterloo Sun Life Financial Centre to introduce myself to the site, the staff and the peregrines.  I met up with Tony Bergauer the Project Manager, Real Estate Services from Bentall Kennedy ( Canada ) LP, the company that manages the building and we stood on Union Blvd. enjoying the sight of the resident female roosting on a concrete parapet.  We discussed options for viewing the adults and the 19th floor of the building seemed the ideal location as it was currently unoccupied and the adults spend a great deal of time roosting on the other side of the windows.  We checked in at security and made our way upstairs.  The moment we entered the office suite area of the floor, I spotted the female sitting on a balcony railing and managed to capture a few quick pictures of her leg bands.  The male was much more elusive and was sitting on the top of a parapet that could not be properly viewed through the windows.  Within half an hour, he had taken flight and was on a hunt over a series of apartment buildings to the east.  The female had also moved off and was now sitting on the retaining wall right above the nest area.  I spent almost 4 hours at the site maintaining my post on the 19th floor but was unable to see the male once he’d returned as once again he sat in a position that was not fully in view. 

When I arrived home. I immediately put the pictures up on my larger screen to look at the females band number and was amazed to find a band number that I had recognized!!  The female has a black over green recovery band on her left leg bearing the ID of 65 over AW and a silver USFW band on her right leg.  This female is Statler from the Statler building nest site in 2010; a bird I rescued from Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto last year.  The bird was trapped in a cooling tower on the roof of the centre just as the long weekend was beginning and she was very lucky to have been discovered and released.  To know that she is now a mother of a single, healthy and recently banded little male is a testament to the work that we do at the CPF.  I am so pleased to see that this bird not only survived her ordeal in the cooling tower but is now a parent and I am so happy to have been a part of such a positive story.  Following this post is the full story of the rescue and release of this incredible female last year and it highlights the fantastic community support that the CPF has regularly celebrated over the 17 years we have been working in southern Ontario communities.  A very good news story indeed!  I will continue with my efforts to identify the resident male and can only confirm at this time that he has a purple USFW band on his right leg and a black over green recovery band on his left leg.  

More to come!!

Posted on July 2, 2012 4:28 pm
Observation for Kitchener - Sun Life Centre
 

[Kris G.]

!!! A Bird We Call “Lucky�; A Long Weekend Rescue Story!
July 02, 2012 - Kitchener - Sun Life Centre

Tracy Simpson Reports:

 

This story was originally posted under Internation, National and Local news and I am pleased to be able to add this tale to the story of a new, active and productive nest site in Waterloo, Ontario!!  Congratulations Sun Life Financial and the property management group Bentall Kennedy ( Canada ) LP on becoming home to such an amazing and “Luckyâ€� bird named Statler!!

The story as it was written over one year ago!!

I was on my way to the CPF head office on Friday and almost turned around. Nest sites to check in on and so much field work to do I didn’t have time for admin work, but I was close so I stopped in anyways. This was the beginning of a rescue operation that were it not for pure luck and several groups working together, it would not have ever happened.

 

Shortly after arriving at the office, I received a phone call from a gentleman named Dale Kurt, a Branch Manager for Orkin PCO Services, who was calling to report a peregrine falcon in trouble. It would seem that this bird had somehow fallen into a cooling tower and become trapped. Dale had already been on the phone with several other agencies in an attempt to make contact with someone who could help rescue the bird but was unable to make a connection with anyone that could help. Mr. Kurt remembered the CPF from our activities at southern Ontario peregrine nest sites and called our office that afternoon. I was luckily there to answer the call as I was just about to head out into the field to do nest site checks.

 

According to Dale Kurt, the cooling tower the bird was trapped in was one of several that are a part of the roof system at Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto. On Wednesday May 18th, the staff at Rogers Centre completed an inspection of the tower and found the trapped bird. It was quite fortunate that this maintenance inspection came when it did as the bird had literally just fallen in. Wayne Sills, who works for Rogers Centre and coordinates the staff efforts to keep the mechanics in tip top shape, contacted Dale at Orkin PCO Services to let him know of the discovery of this bird and that the peregrine was clearly unable to fly back out of the tower on its own. Dale headed down to Rogers Centre and met up with Wayne who then took him up through the building to the trapped birds’ location. Knowing that he was looking at a protected species at risk, Dale decided to contact the OMNR regarding a rescue effort and later that afternoon called me.

 

Throughout my conversation with Dale, it was clearly going to have to been a joint rescue effort as I have never been introduced to the folks at Rogers Centre and I would require access to non-public areas of the building. Dale and I met down at the shipping docks where we were joined by Wayne Sills of Rogers Centre, gathered our needed equipment and headed up to security. I must say that the folks at Rogers Centre were absolutely amazing in guiding and accomodating this rescue effort and they are to be commended for their efforts. An elevator ride, two ladder trips and a few little access hatches later Dale, Wayne and I stood face to face with a very confused sub-adult female peregrine falcon. I have to tell you that Dale is one quick guy with a net!! In less than 60 seconds, the bird was in a rescue carrier and on her way down.

 

We contacted the OMNR to let them know that we had rescued this female and that she was in need of rehydration, food and rest and then took her back to the CPF Raptor Centre for treatment. In debriefing the situation, we all have realized that on the Friday of a long weekend, that were it not for Wayne Sills and his staff at Rogers Centre, Dale Kurt at Orkin PCO Services and the CPF staff all working together, this bird would not have been found, rescued and cared for. And that’s why her nickname is “Lucky�!!

 

Continuing along the theme of being the most lucky peregrine falcon that I have ever met, it turns out that “Lucky� was hatched at the Buffalo Statler Tower nest site in 2010 and was one of 5 chicks hatched that year. Due to access issues, the birds could not be banded except for one, the only one to come to the ground and needing a rescue, and she now wears the Black over Green 65/AW that has identified her!! A huge thank you to all that have participated in this grand rescue of a very Lucky bird!! Check back soon for release photos as she is healthy, rehydrated and ready to go!!! Good luck Lucky!!

After her release, Marion Nash wrote;

In the early evening of Thursday May 26th just after the heavy rains, Mark and Marion said farewell to Statler with a successful release. Statler, (or Lucky as she was nic-named) was rescued from an air vent at the Rogers centre over the long weekend and was after a short hold over to rehydrate and feed her, was released back to the wild in Richmond Hill on west Bevercreek Rd.  Typical of what we are usually faced with, this rescue took place during a long weekend (at the worst of times) when we struggle to find anyone (other than CPF people) to help!
As Marion reports:
I tried to hide behind the towel on the carrier after opening the door but she knew I was there and peeked around the corner of the rescue carrier to see what I was up to before taking her freedom flight. It took her a few minutes to walk out of the carrier and take to the air with strong wing beats and steady flight. She made it up to yer another air vent on the top of a low rise industrial building only several meters in front of us. Both of hearts sunk as she landed on the top of a huge air intake vent,, - (OH MY GOD, NOT ANOTHER AIR VENT)!! She took several minutes to get her bearings before she finally flew off to the west, gaining good altitude and hooked around to the south and out of our view.

Good for her! I hope the next time we meet this big girl it will be at the banding of her offspring. Lets hope that she has learned something from this as she does seem to favor hanging around on air vents so lets keep our fingers crossed.

　

Posted on July 2, 2012 4:54 pm
Observation for Kitchener - Sun Life Centre
         

[Kris G.]

Another Fantastic Day in Waterloo
July 02, 2012 - Kitchener - Sun Life Centre

Tracy Simpson Reports:

On Thursday June 28th, I made another trip out to the recently discovered nest site in Waterloo at the Sun Life Financial building to attempt to identify the resident male.  I met up with Tony Bergauer of Bentall Kennedy ( Canada ) LP and we headed up to the 19th floor where I had the best chance of seeing the male at rest.  When we arrived upstairs, it was already 36 degrees with the humidex in the street and so I was hoping for loafing adults staying cool until the heat began to dissapate.  Not a chance!!  Statler was on her usual perch, sitting on the parapet facing Park St.  She was in the sun but looked to be managing her heat as best as she could without abandoning her post near the little one.  The resident male was off site and I took the opportunity to scan the other building rooftops in the area for him to no avail.  He was also staying out of the heat as best as he could!!  The benefit of the 19th floor, currently unoccupied as the furnishings are moved in, is that it has wrap around windows that offer an incredible panoramic view of the area.  Not only do the adults use the parapets as perches which are right outside the windows, they also roost on the Sun Life Financial signs located on either side of the building.  On the Park St. side, the male roosts on the “nâ€� and on the King St. side, on theâ€�iâ€�.  The adults also use the vertical girders that hold the Sun Life signs which are sloped at the very top in towards the building.  This is a great little roosting nook but makes taking pictures a toughie!!  By 2:27pm, the male arrived with a package of food for Statler to feed his newly banded son up on the roof.  They made the exchange in the air and then poof, he was gone!!  At 4:17pm, another package of food arrives to the screaming greetings of Statler and once again, a stop, drop and roll to the air exchange on the parapet!!  Although this male usually hangs out on the Park St. side sign after the 4pm delivery, today was too hot for a full sun roost.  As I was getting ready to call it a day, at 6:11pm, in he comes again but this time without food.  More to just say, “Hi honey, how you doing?â€�.  Another blink and he was once again gone.  I will be back again soon to discover where this elusive male is hanging out and to get a positive ID from his recovery band.  Thanks to Tony Bergauer and the great supporters at Bentall Kennedy LP, the amazing staff of Sun Life Financial that I met and the great enthusiasts from McIntyre moving company that have dubbed me Falcon Lady!!  All of your excitement and enthusiasm is quite contagious!! 

I hope that you enjoy some of the photos I was able to get of Statler.

Posted on July 2, 2012 5:32 pm
Observation for Kitchener - Sun Life Centre
       

[margaret]

!!! Waterloo Female Identified; It’s Statler!!
June 27, 2012 - Kitchener - Sun Life Centre

Tracy Simpson Reports:

On Wednesday June 27th, I paid a visit to the Waterloo Sun Life Financial Centre to introduce myself to the site, the staff and the peregrines.  I met up with Tony Bergauer the Project Manager, Real Estate Services from Bentall Kennedy ( Canada ) LP, the company that manages the building and we stood on Union Blvd. enjoying the sight of the resident female roosting on a concrete parapet.  We discussed options for viewing the adults and the 19th floor of the building seemed the ideal location as it was currently unoccupied and the adults spend a great deal of time roosting on the other side of the windows.  We checked in at security and made our way upstairs.  The moment we entered the office suite area of the floor, I spotted the female sitting on a balcony railing and managed to capture a few quick pictures of her leg bands.  The male was much more elusive and was sitting on the top of a parapet that could not be properly viewed through the windows.  Within half an hour, he had taken flight and was on a hunt over a series of apartment buildings to the east.  The female had also moved off and was now sitting on the retaining wall right above the nest area.  I spent almost 4 hours at the site maintaining my post on the 19th floor but was unable to see the male once he’d returned as once again he sat in a position that was not fully in view.

When I arrived home. I immediately put the pictures up on my larger screen to look at the females band number and was amazed to find a band number that I had recognized!!  The female has a black over green recovery band on her left leg bearing the ID of 65 over AW and a silver USFW band on her right leg.  This female is Statler from the Statler building nest site in 2010; a bird I rescued from Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto last year.  The bird was trapped in a cooling tower on the roof of the centre just as the long weekend was beginning and she was very lucky to have been discovered and released.  To know that she is now a mother of a single, healthy and recently banded little male is a testament to the work that we do at the CPF.  I am so pleased to see that this bird not only survived her ordeal in the cooling tower but is now a parent and I am so happy to have been a part of such a positive story.  Following this post is the full story of the rescue and release of this incredible female last year and it highlights the fantastic community support that the CPF has regularly celebrated over the 17 years we have been working in southern Ontario communities.  A very good news story indeed!  I will continue with my efforts to identify the resident male and can only confirm at this time that he has a purple USFW band on his right leg and a black over green recovery band on his left leg.  

More to come!!

Posted on July 2, 2012 4:28 pm
Observation for Kitchener - Sun Life Centre
 

 
 
A wonderful story about Statler! An testament to all the work you do at CPF!   I love all the cross-border relationships of the falcons.
 
To all of you at CPF!

[carly]

Sad news from Jack's other site this morning, one of two has been found dead.  One was rescued last week and banded before being returned to the ledge - both were thought to be female 

Jul 3, 2012 - Unfortunate news ...

Sometime this morning, one of our juvies (the unbanded one) apparently had a fatal accident, likely an impact with the building.

The bird was located on the ground near my patio, and has been preserved on ice for the night until the MNR can retrieve for research purposes.

Sad to see, but as we know these birds face many challenges in their lives, and survival in an urban environment can be just as difficult as in the most pristine of natural environments.

[Donna]

Ahhh, so sad Carly, darn! Hope our little one stays safe since she's the only one! Scary! Going to pray extra hard for this lone eyas!

[Annette]

Poor juvie 

[MAK]

 

[Kris G.]

So sorry, Carly. Fly free, little one.