Canada Falcons: All but those hatched in Rochester

[carly]

!!! First Mating Observed!!!
February 20, 2013 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre

Kathy Reports:

12:55 on the corner of the West Tower!!  In spite of the fact it is minus 16c with the wind chill, things are heating up here in Etobicoke!

 

[MAK]

 

[Donna]

http://youtu.be/9Wb8-ss1TTc Sportsman show with Cheyenne and Alexandra. Marion too!!    BF makes an appearance! 

[MAK]

 

[BIGFRANK]

Dont forget Bruce!!

[MAK]

Dont forget Bruce!!

I saw Kathy for a second too!!! 

[carly]

Hamilton cams are on this morning...woohoo! 

http://falcons.hamiltonnature.org/

[carly]

Hamilton:

WON'T BE LONG NOW!!

March 6, 2013 - Our internet link was turned on last night and viewers are now seeing LIVE photos from the Sheraton Hamilton Peregrine Falcon nest. The composite photo at left was put together by Webmaster Charles as he was setting things up. At upper left you can see both Surge and Madame X in the nest ledge this morning at 06:40. At right is a great face-on shot of Surge. How do we know it's Surge? The lower left section of the photo shows his leg bands. We were able to read the numbers and confirm his identity. Falconwatch 2013 is getting under way!

[Donna]

HUGE NEWS!! NEW MALE TAKES OVER ICICI NEST SITE!!
March 10, 2013 - International, National and Local News

Tracy Simpson Reports:

Bruce Massey and I were out this weekend checking out a few nest sites and decided to stop by on Saturday at ICICI at Don Mills and Eglinton.  Both male and female were on site and were quite active.  I managed to get several pictures of both adults and when I got home and looked at them, I was able to confirm that the female was unbanded which is consistent with last year but the male appeared to be banded.  Upon closer inspection of the photos, I could see that this male had a solid black Ontario recovery band and a silver USFW band.  Unfortunately I could not clearly read the alpha numeric reference on his band that would identify him.

Today Bruce and I returned with one mission in mind; identify the male that had taken over this site.  Bruce was quick with the scope and confirmed that the new resident male was wearing a solid black band bearing the identification 95 over Y.  We both knew this band…  …IT’S CHESTER!! Chester was hatched in 2011 at the Canada Square nest site to Haven and Irving and was seen last spring briefly courting Quest at Duncan Mill Road.  Here he was looking very adult and behaving as the master of this territory!  Shortly after identification, he flew up to the nest ledge and joined the unbanded female, disappearing into the ledge.  He flew out of the ledge a few minutes later over to the DeBeers buidling landing on the “Sâ€�.  There he stayed until his mate emerged from the ledge and flew up to the top of ICICI and perched on the northeast corner calling to him.  It didn’t take long before Chester flew over and mated with her confirming for both Bruce and I that he was in control of this nest site.

We are unsure when this change in adult males occurred but we can say for certain that Chester is now the resident male.  We look forward to the coming nesting season with much anticipation.  More pictures to follow.



I remember Chester!! He bugged Quest for a while last Winter!  Chester's all grown up!

[Dumpsterkitty]

HUGE NEWS!! NEW MALE TAKES OVER ICICI NEST SITE!!
March 10, 2013 - International, National and Local News

Tracy Simpson Reports:

Bruce was quick with the scope and confirmed that the new resident male was wearing a solid black band bearing the identification 95 over Y.  We both knew this band…  …IT’S CHESTER!! Chester was hatched in 2011 at the Canada Square nest site to Haven and Irving and was seen last spring briefly courting Quest at Duncan Mill Road. 


I remember Chester!! He bugged Quest for a while last Winter!  Chester's all grown up!

And he's (RM&T) Stormin's step-son. 2011 was the year Irving disappeared & Stormin' took over after the scrape.

[Donna]

Rare peregrine falcon pair expecting, are stars of webcam

Hamiltonians can watch young falcon family live on falcon cams this spring

Hamilton could soon have some new feathered residents. Peregrine falcons Surge and Madame X appear to be expecting.

http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/news/story/2013/03/20/hamilton-peregrine-falconcams.html Full story

[MAK]

 

[Donna]

!!! New wife and ongoing renovations :-(
March 23, 2013 - Mississauga - Executive Centre

CPF Postmaster Reports:

Hi All
Wow, looks like the new resident female has added some new material to the nest box. 

Don’t panic, as the small pieces of wood that you see are bits of a small 2×2 that the new resident female has been “picking away at for months�. It’s a small 2×2 from the outside upper roof area of the nest box. Sadly, we couldn’t get to it in time last fall – (to replace it or to simply remove it). **Remembering that we need a full window washers swing stage and a crew to get to the nest ledge.

That being said, it looks like she’s doing a fine job with it - all on her own. No danger or worries as we have been very much aware of the loose 2×2. The new resident adult female seemed very unhappy with the loose 2×2 (the old glue has finally let go and the small piece of 2×2 was separating itself from the upper outside roof portion of the nest box),,,, so it appears that she is / has removed it on her own.

Let’s hope that she doesn’t decide to do a “complete interior renovation� of the entire nest box and starts moving the walls!!!

Poor Sante – (her feathered mate) has had enough challenges and stress to deal with last year when his mate disappeared, two of his fledglings were killed, then had to defend his territory and remaining fledgling from the rouge female intruder - (now his current mate by the way) and then having to raise his surviving offspring all on his own while still having to defend both her and the territory!!

We will replace the 2×2 at banding time. I have a new piece in hand that has already been cut to size, stained – (colour matched) to the existing nest box. It’s not actually a critical piece, as much as it is for cosmetic appearances of the nest box itself. We like our nest boxes with curb-appeal!
Stay tuned, eggs are just around the corner……

[MAK]

Ours has curb appeal with 4 very  :yes:large wings above it!

[carly]

First Eggs in Southern Ontario Have Arrived!!!!!!!!!
March 26, 2013 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Tracy Simpson Reports:

I stopped by the Burlington Lift Bridge today to follow up on the excellent observations of Bill and Sue of Cirrus laying down in the back of the nest box out of view.  I met up with Todd who assisted me in getting a look at the monitor to confirm the news…  …Cirrus has eggs!!!!!  Upon arrival at the monitor, I could see that Cirrus was laying down and was sound asleep protecting the precious package beneath her.  She stirred very little and only moved once to reposition herself.  It was then that I was able to see at least one egg in the nest bowl but I am sure there are others by the way in which the egg was placed; it was leaning against another that was just out of my view. While we are unsure as to the total number of eggs, I can confirm that she is in full time incubation as of today and that the first egg, in talking with the bridge staff, was in the box by March 19th.  Given that subsequent eggs follow within 48 hours of each other at the outset, March 23rd is the latest when the clutch would have reached completion for a full set of four eggs.  A huge thank you to the bridge staff and watchers Bill and Sue for your vigilance, support and great observations and congratulations to Cirrus and McKenzie for being the first of 2013 in southern Ontario!!!!!!

Pictures to follow.