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Archive for the ‘Quest Transmitter’ Category

Quest is Transmitter Free! and She Has a New Suitor!

Monday, December 22nd, 2014

We have received some very good news from our friends at the Canadian Peregrine Foundation. Quest no longer has her transmitter. Rfalconcam Forum member Donna Cook was able to capture some pictures of Quest taken by the Harlequin falcon cameras. She immediately noticed that something was missing. The transmitter antenna we were so used to seeing on her back was gone. She shared the pictures with other members of the forum and members of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation (CPF).

Quest Minus Transmitter 12-20-14 – Picture of Quest from the Harlequin Falconcam

Many thanks to Donna and CPF Member, Bruce Massey, who positively identified that it was Quest at the Don Mills nest site and that she no longer had her transmitter! Here is Bruce’s report.

Quest Has Shed Her Transmitter and On Site with a Potential New Suitor
December 21, 2014 – Toronto – Don Mills

Bruce Massey Reports:

With the nest camera back online and showing us views of the adult peregrines active around the site, I decided to venture out to do a quick check in. One of the most conspicuous things about Quest these days is that in the camera shots taken of her at the box, the antenna of her transmitter could not be seen at all. I set out to try and confirm whether the female was Quest and if she was now backpack free.

I found her in and around the nest box soaking up the sun and with my scope was able to get excellent looks at her back. I can say without doubt that the backpack harness and transmitter she has been wearing for the past several years is no longer there. Quest was looking quite fabulous, all her feathers sitting neatly preened across her back and chest. I was also able to confirm her recovery band number as Black 96 over Green V as she sat sunbathing. The male was also quite active in the area and the two met at the box a number of times bowing and vocalizing together. I set the scope on the male and turned my attention to the task of confirming his identity.

He spent a great deal of time up on the Harlequin building sitting in the sun and I waited for him to do some stretching and reveal the look I was seeking. At first glance I was able to only see the USFW band and it was covered in blue tape. This was not consistent with Skye, the male that was with Quest this past nest season. I continued to watch and finally got the look that I was waiting for. The band number that I could clearly see was a solid Black Y over 72 with blue tape which turns out to be a bird hatched in 2013 at the Amexon nest site named Lucky.

We are unsure when this change took place and where Skye is currently. We will have to wait until spring to clearly understand whether Lucky or Skye will be Quest’s mate for the 2015 nesting season.

Posted on December 21, 2014 10:53 pm

Here are some images of a young Quest with her transmitter in 2008. She did a lot of wandering her first year and made lots of friends, especially in Nantucket and Cape Cod.

Quest and Here Siblings 6-14-08John Kaar Quest in Nantucket 2008Quest Taken by Edie Ray NantucketE Vernon Laux Pic of Quest in Nantucket 2008

So Where Has Quest Been Over the Past Seven Days? – 11/7/11

Monday, November 7th, 2011

We continue to receive transmitter readings from our friends at the DEC and it looks like Quest is on the move. She’s still spending time at the Duncan Mill Rd nest site, but taking trips along the north side of Lake Ontario. So where has she been over the past seven days? You may recognize some of the locations she’s been visiting.

On October 30, we received three readings;
12:45 – Pickering
14:49 – NW of Cobourg & Port Hope
20:47 – Lennox Power Station

October 31
22:06 – Lennox Power Station

November 2nd
06:51 – Quest & Kendal’s Nest Box – Duncan Mill Rd.

November 3rd
20:59 – Quest & Kendal’s Nest Box – Duncan Mill Rd.

November 5th
10:50 – Quest & Kendal’s Nest Box – Duncan Mill Rd.

November 6th
15:33 – Lennox Power Station

Be sure to check for more updates on Quest’s travels.

Egg #3 for Beauty, and a Mate for Quest?

Tuesday, April 12th, 2011

3_eggs
Beauty laid her third egg today. We’re not exactly sure when, because she spent a lot of time in the nest box and she didn’t let us see what was going on. Both Beauty and Archer have been on the eggs most of the day. That might be due to the cooler weather, or it could signal the start of “hard” incubation. If that’s the case, then we should be able to expect one more egg, for a total of four. Since the most recent pair of eggs have come at a more-or-less typical peregrine pace, if Beauty does lay another egg we should see it in the next 2 to 3 days.

Capture
In other news, the recent location data from Quest’s satellite transmitter has been nearly stationary for the past several days. Some observers began to speculate that perhaps her transmitter had finally fallen off. But earlier today our friends at the Canadian Peregrine Foundation posted that two falcons, one outfitted with a transmitter, had been spotted on a commercial building in the city of York, Ontario Canada, just east of Toronto. The address for the sighting matched exactly to the location data we’ve been getting from Quest, and Bruce Massey, one of the CPF volunteers, was able to confirm her ID band numbers! It turns out that Quest has been hanging out with a handsome tiercel. Read the full account from CPF watcher Tracy Simpson HERE. Needless to say we’re thrilled to learn that Quest may finally have found a place to settle down, and that she could be starting a family of her own. We’ll keep a close watch on this story, and bring all of the details to you as we learn more!

Quest at Kingston– In The Flesh!

Monday, January 24th, 2011

Quest Jan. 2011

Quest has continued to stay around Prince Edward Point with frequent trips into nearby Kingston Ontario this month. Recently our friends at the Canadian Peregrine Foundation posted about Quest visiting the Kingston Harbor on January 4. Happily CPF observer Rachel McRae was able to get some pictures of Quest. We’re reprinting them here with her kind permission.
Quest 1- Jan 4 - 2011 Quest 2

Quest 3 Quest 4
We’re working with the CPF to see if they have larger pictures they can share with us, and if we can get them we’ll bring them to you.

Quest is looking great, and both she and her transmitter seem to be going strong! CPF reporter Big Frank also let us know that workers at the Pickering Nuclear Power plant have been seeing Quest in the past few days, so she may be returning to familiar ground. Be sure to check back for updates.

Quest (Very) Happy At Prince Edward Point

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

Quest Finishes December at PEP

Quest must be having a good time at Prince Edward Point because her transmitter data display some of the closest clustering that we’ve seen since we began tracking her in 2008. In fact, many of the locations over the past two weeks have been so close together that we thought she might have finally ditched her transmitter.

There are a few data points that are spread far enough apart to show us that she’s still moving around. But one thing we can say is that she’s not moving very far. Except for a trip to Kingston on the 26th, she’s moved only a couple of miles. It looks like Quest has found a cozy place to stay for the winter, and that she’s content enough not to wander. Unless she decides to make another significant move– back to Pickering or the Lennox power station for instance– we may be in for a boring winter.

Quest Endures Arctic Blast at Prince Edward Point

Wednesday, December 15th, 2010

Quest December 7 - 15

No surprises for Quest. She’s been bouncing between Pickering and Prince Edward Point for the past several weeks, but the most recent few days’ locations have placed her squarely at PEP. The weather’s been pretty nasty and cold, with one of the lowest temperature sensor readings we’ve seen recorded on the 15th, a chilly 9.65°C. Hopefully Quest is finding someplace to stay out of the wind and keep herself warm.

After Short ‘PEP’ Rally, Quest Back At Pickering

Thursday, October 21st, 2010

Quest Goes East

As she’s done in the past, Quest threw us a curve ball. After weeks at Pickering, she suddenly decided to take a trip east to Prince Edward Point. She stayed a couple of days then returned to Pickering, but not before making a stop-over in Port Hope on the 18th. Maybe she decided to take a flight down memory lane now that she seems to be settling down.

Could Quest Be Settling Down?

Monday, October 11th, 2010

Quest In October

Quest’s latest location data are all clustered in the immediate area around the Pickering Nuclear Power plant in Pickering, Ontario Canada. Not only that, but just this past weekend she was spotted there by Rochester Falconcam watchers Joyce and MAK. They tell us that Quest was once again seen in the company of a male peregrine, and that they were both acting very comfortable with each other.

Even better, Joyce took some pictures! Here’s a few for you

Quest (below) and Male (top) on Water Tower

Quest (below) and Male (top) on Water Tower


Quest on the water tower

Quest on the water tower

Male falcon taking off

Male falcon taking off

And finally, a shot of Quest passing overhead. Her transmitter is clearly visible in this picture.

Quest in flight

Quest in flight

We’re very pleased that we’ve finally gotten some pictures of Quest to share with you, and we’re grateful for the efforts of Joyce, MAK, and all the other watchers who have made the long trip to Pickering Ontario in search of our intrepid peregrine. It seems like she’s pretty comfortable at the power plant, and if she has found a mate in this male, we may even be able to look forward to some nesting activity next year. We’ll keep our eye on Quest to see if she decides to make this her permanent home.

Quest Returns to Pickering Power Plant

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

Quest travels 13-20 September

Quest’s westward move proved to be short-lived. She has returned to Pickering, with the vast majority of her September data clustered in the area immediately around the Pickering Power Generating station. We assume her male friend is still accompanying her.

Since Quest seems to be settling in, we’re hoping that someone at the plant or birders in the area will be able to get a look at where she might be nesting. If we have any readers in the Pickering/Ajax/Tornoto area, it looks like you’re almost guaranteed to be able to spot Quest near the power station these days. If you do, send us a note to let us know what she’s doing.

Quest Back To Moving Around

Sunday, September 5th, 2010

Quest in Early September
Quest closed out August near the Pickering nuclear station, but the first few days of September find her back in Scarborough. We can’t say whether she’s in the company of her tiercel friend, but it would be interesting if she were. Unlike much of August when Quest’s transmitter showed her ranging in a diffuse area from Scarborough south to the lakeshore, she seems to have settled into a tight pattern of movement between Pickering and Scarborough.

Perhaps she’s scouting possible nesting locations, or maybe she just finds successful hunting in these two places. If there are any birders in the Scarborough area, keep an eye out for Quest. We’d love to hear about it if you see her!


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