Rhea Mae and Tiago's Webcam - Toronto - Canadian Peregrine Foundation

[Kris G.]

Zephyr hung out with Susan B after she was rescued also.  Like a protector brother!  Wish he would come back

He was a good brother!  Loved Z-man!

[MAK]

Zephyr hung out with Susan B after she was rescued also.  Like a protector brother!  Wish he would come back

  

[margaret]

   YAY  for Cinnamon and Kate!  Come on,kiddies, you have great genes!   Fly high and long and strong and proud!   

[Dumpsterkitty]

Someone is home for the night...probably Sunshine

[Dumpsterkitty]

All three accounted for at dark
June 28, 2011 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Linda Woods Reports:

Lots of shuffling around by Kate and Cinnamon, but the end of day, we weren’t sure who we were watching closely. I couldn’t get a band colour to Identify.  One bird was on the Phoenix building and was being watched closely by Annie when I arrived. Janine joined us shortly afterwards.  This bird flew over to the lower 130 south side and ran the east side of this area before taking off again. It was on Lombard Place for a short time before taking flight again and back to lower 130. Off again and it ended up on the low roof of south east corner of Richmond and York just north of the Keg.  Annie and Janine stayed on the ground, while I headed for the 43rd. This bird took off again and headed south along York St and we lost sight of it. We finally found it on the east side of the DBRS building. At this time I took the opportunity to scan for the other two.  At dark we had a juvenile on the north east lower 120 Adelaide, lying down, as it was earlier. Sunshine on the north east corner of 130 Adelaide and one on the DBRS building.  Apparently, filming will resume tomorrow in and around this direct area. Not sure if they are filming again on the roof areas, like they were over the weekend. The film shoot notice that went around the neighbourhood did not indicate that.

We only saw one food drop, as we spent a lot of time on the south side of 120 and 130. Not sure who got a share of this meal
Posted on June 28, 2011 9:59 pm

[anneintoronto]

There really isn't too much I can add to Linda Woods' report.  We did see flying today.  Some just short "hops", some a little more extensive.  Of course, it's hard to tell who is who up in the sky.  When I arrived today, I couldn't see any birds around, so went up to the 43rd floor, spotted a couple of juvies.  Then went south down York Street to look around for them from ground level and buy a coffee.  Stopped to talk with some bike couriers, awaiting job orders outside the coffee shop.  Boy, were they enthusiastic, knowledgeable about peregrines, red-tails!!  I was impressed, enjoyed talking with them!  Then I glanced up, just...because, and there was a juvie sitting on a low building right next door, wandering around, being quiet, a little lost...  I couldn't believe my eyes!  So sat there, coffeeless, and watched, with relief, when he (I think it was Cinnamon) flew up to a somewhat higher building.  An interesting start to a long watch!  And Linda described the rest...

Aside from the day's activities, I have a question that has been lurking in the back of my head for a few days now.  And I can't find an answer anywhere...  If a young peregrine stays in the nesting area well past due, doesn't progress in the natural time frame nature sets out, do the parents come to a point where their responsibility in the care and training of this young bird ends?  Do they, by instinct, know that there is something "wrong", not part of the norm, and cease to be responsible?  That's my unanswered question.

I know that some of you are going to react to this question, say that this isn't possible...  But I need to know why Rhea Mae and Tiago aren't paying attention to Kate and Cinnamon.  Sunshine, who progressed "normally" was fed, was nurtured, has been taught the grace of flying, the skill of food passing, the cleverness of catching and eating on her own.  On and off, all day, I see her seriously learning from her parents, gracing the sky with extraordinary flights, "games" of tag that leave me breathless.  But this is not happening with the other two.  There is virtually no interaction, no regular feedings, no adult presence when it comes to them.  Obviously this puzzles me.  I know for a fact, that Rhea Mae and Tiago are proven good parents.  I am not criticizing them.  But I wonder what nature is "telling" them, why this "normal" attention to one offspring, the reverse for the other two...  Do any of you know, either from other experiences, from something you've read elsewhere?

I would appreciate some input here... 

Thanks!  Anne in Toronto

[carly]

I personally (and this is my opinion only but based on my fledge watches) don't think they would abandon the kids at this point, had there been something wrong they would have known at birth as we've sometimes seen on cam when a parent stops feeding a baby and they perish on cam.  I've seen females fledge at day 50 and boys fledge at day 48...it is actually not that unusual.  The reason they're devoting so much attention to Sunshine at this point is because she has caught on so fast and it and will enable them to focus on the other two when they are ready.  It may look like the parents don't care but from my observations, the parents always know where the kids and once the kids advance the parents step in with more support.  To a falcon parent, the job isn't done until they teach the kids to hunt for themselves, it's hard wired into them to do this.    There have also been some famous cases..like Polly in Montreal where the parents allowed her to stay well beyond the normal time frame due to her injury.  

I know it can be hard to watch, there have been many times I've cursed our pair here and yelled at them for seemingly ignoring certain juvies in trouble but they always proved my fears wrong.  Mackenzie, our 2009 male is now nesting at Burlington and I can tell you even Bruce thought he'd never make it - in fact one night he told me to prepare myself to find him dead because he had been gone so long and likely didn't have what it took..I tell you I was in tears and barely slept that night and the next day Mac made the flight of his life right back to the nest ledge - I was standing in the road cheering him on with tears running down my face.  He spent over a week in trouble without food and parents, was rescued 3 times and was well behind the other 2 and now Mark and everyone down there is raving about him and saying they've never seen a falcon hunt like he can so don't give in to despair.  You're tired from fledge watch and you want them to succeed so much and it can be difficult to see the bigger picture or even like what you're seeing at times but hang in there.. The fact that Kate and Cin have made it this far is is a good sign, some kids are just slower picking up but once they 'get it' it sticks.  It's hard for us humans to understand the lessons being taught to the falcons but they are birds of prey and they need to be tough to survive and what we perceive as being cruel is in reality a lesson in survival for them.

[Donna]

Oh boy, I have no idea Anne and not even going to take a stab at this. Worries me why they are ignoring the 2. Just doesn't sound like RM or Tiago. As long as the Juvies are around and flying, I would assume feedings are an instinct thing. This is strange behavior. Could Sunshine be interfering with the feedings and RM is focusing on just her right now? I just don't know.

[Donna]

Carly, that makes sense to me. Thanks!

[Dumpsterkitty]

Thanks carly.  I was thinking something similar-Kate & Cinnamon aren't quite ready for flight lessons yet & Sunshine has been at it for over 2 weeks now-but I'm glad to hear your experiences bear that out.  The only thing I can add is I've seen more of both adults perched on the ledge since Kate & Cinnamon flew & I've been thinking they're trying to get them back to the ledge. Once that's accomplished the rest of the lessons can begin in earnest.

[MAK]

  Great explanation Carly! 

[carly]

New update just posted from Harry:

Cinnamon seen feeding!
June 29, 2011 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Harry Crawford Reports:

At 7:30am, Cinnamon was on the old portion of the Bell building and
Kate was on the penthouse of 120 Adelaide.  As I was moving through
the courtyard, Sunshine came screaming in from the south west and
disappeared from view.  From 23 at 9am, Cinnamon was feeding on the
south west corner of the roof area of the National Bank at York and
Adelaide.  Just to his west was Rhea Mae, keeping a sister [to her
west] from grabbing the food.  The feeding took about 20 minutes and
then Cinnamon took off.  Rhea Mae went over and started to feed on
the left-overs.  I went down to street level and by the time I got
there, the sister was feeding on the scraps.

Linda arrived and we went up to 23 only to find no birds in view.
We then went to King St. to see the south views of the nearby
buildings - still nothing in view.  I think the birds are moving
around more and could also be trying to get out of the wind [Zoe] as
it was quite strong.

[Donna]

Excellent for Cinnamon! What a relief! All is good but still keeping fingers crossed! Thanks Carly!!

[jeanne]

I think it was Alkyonis here that was rescued a couple of times and had issues.  She was seen, last year I think, to everyone's amazement.  She was a bit before my time so Carol, Shaky or one of the other watchers could probably provide details. 

I really think the non feeding was cause they were trying to coax them to fly and be able to lift off.  But what the heck do I know?!

[carly]

 

I really think the non feeding was cause they were trying to coax them to fly and be able to lift off.  But what the heck do I know?!

For sure Jeanne, they use food as a motivator to train them. It's really no different than when keepers train zoo animals or when you train your pet, you use food to reward good behaviour or to get them to learn a new behaviour.

I expect if they just fed them constantly, they'd just nap and not want to go anywhere like most kids