The Canadian Peregrine Foundation

Saturday July 4
Bob Chambers reports: It rained almost all day today, but Amelia and Henny supplied kills to the chicks at regular intervals nonetheless. When the rain finally stopped, Amelia flew close to the trio of chicks, carrying the leftovers of a kill, trying to enticw them to fly. She continued to do this for 45 minutes or so.

At 10 pm the fireworks started again. Amelia left her perch and flew toward the Maid of the Mist. After a short duration she returned to her chicks and stayed with them - what a "Mom"!

Sunday July 5
Bob Chambers reports: As the run rose this morning, the chicks were drying themselves (after yesterday's downpours), preening, and chattering amongst each other. The little male is becoming very active - this morning he jumped the north concrete blocks and walked along the ledge beyond. He kept going until he was about 200 feet from the nest, then turned around and eventually came back, but only after more than two hours. At one point along the way he encountered a small gap (just over a metre in length), which he leaped/flew across!

At 12:20, the little male made a beautiful first flight, straight down the gorge wall, slightly below the handrail level. He turned right over the table rock, and continued over Niagara Boulevard with about 30 feet of clearance. One observer said his first landing was a little comical because as he grabbed the branch in the tree he chose he went right around and hung upside down. He stayed on that perch for a while, as he dusted himself off and regained his composure. A bit later he landed on a nearby lawn, to the amazement of passing tourists, but he soon flew off again, and was lost from sight for a while.

Around 1 pm, the male was relocated, flying above the trees along with a parent. He landed on the roof of the Victoria Park Restaurant, while the adult returned to the nest ledge. For the rest of the day, he made five more short flights, mostly landing in trees. The fledgling was lost from the observers' sight some time after 8:30 pm when he flew  to the heavily wooded area behind the illumination building.  That is where it is believed he spent the night.  The chick was observed in good flying condition, with strong and stable wing beats.

Back at the nest, the two females spent part of the afternoon preening each other. Amelia continues to bring them food, but is also showing a bit of tough love by flying to the area of the chicks with a kill, and then flying away with it again, trying to entice them away. But for now the little females are staying put at the nest. Henny has not been seen much today, but seems to be playing the role of protector, observed at times flying over the gorge.

Monday, July 6
Bob Chambers reports: Yesterday evening the male chick had flown to near the edge of the gorge, and disappeared from sight. This morning volunteers could not find him at first, but around 7 am he was spotted in a tree at the top of the hill, where crows were diving at him. Henny then came upon the scene and drove them away. He and the male then went flying in circles high overhead; both were vocalizing.

One volunteer reported Amelia bringing what appeared to be a mouse to the two chicks remaining at the nest. The two females received at least four feedings today.  At 4:45, the little male finally returned to the nest ledge. He was very hungry, as it seems he did not eat while away from the nest. He remained there for almost four hours, then made a short flight to the other end of the ledge, where he had walked yesterday - after all why walk when you can fly! All of the chicks slept near the nest tonight.

Tuesday, July 7
Bob Chambers reports: Another rainy day in Niagara. However, it did not deter the little male, who was out flying already at dawn, and didn't return to the nest until 6 am. The birds stayed quiet through the morning, but around 11:15 the little male decided he needed to exercise his wings again, and flew around the gorge before landing back on the concrete block perch. He's flying well, but his landings still need some improvement.

Throughout the afternoon, the female chicks alternately preened each other, slept, and fed on a large kill that Amelia delivered (likely a pigeon). The little male made several more flights - he seems to like it! Amelia and Henny spent most of the time perched in their favourite positions - she on the bare branch of the tree at Table Rock house, and he on the nook below her, facing the nest.
In the early evening, Amelia flew in with another pigeon, and the little male was pursuing her as she flew. She took it to the nest, where all three ate. Following the meal, the little male again took off for several more flights over the river before returning to join his sisters at the nest for the night.

Wednesday, July 8
Bob Chambers reports: Around mid-morning, the male chick made several short flights to and from the nest ledge. Was he encouraging his sisters to follow him? A bit later on, one of the females inched her way out onto a little perch overhanging the gorge, with a 120 foot drop below her - all observers watched her nervously. Although the male continues to make frequent flights and seems quite at home in the air, he still misjudges many of his landings.

As a result of this morning's rain, a shallow puddle formed on part of the ledge. One observer saw the chicks playing in it, acting like a couple of kids splashing each other and then ducking before the others could splash back. Later the two females were seen bathing and lying down in the puddle, presumably to cool down since it had become quite muggy by that time.

At 7:12 pm, the first female finally took her maiden flight. The first one was only 20 feet or so, but she then continued on another 100 feet along the rock face. She turned toward the cliff face, trying to get a foot hold, but slid down gradually until she was 60 feet below where she started. The little male flew past her a couple of times during this episode, as if to encourage her. She finally found a tiny ledge to perch on, and remained there for the rest of the evening.

Thursday, July 9
Bob Chambers reports: At 6:20 this morning, the second female surprised observers by taking flight, albeit unintentionally. The male had been eating on a ledge below the nest, and she was leaning over to look down at him, but went a bit too far and fell off. As she rolled in the air, she was forced to open her wings and fly. She headed out over the Niagara River, then turned toward Table Rock and settled on the cliff south of the nest site.
The little male and first female spent much of the morning practicing their flight skills, primarily between the observation point and Table Rock House. Often they flew right over the hundreds of tourists on the main walkway, and at times were only about 5 feet above them as they zoomed past at unbelievable speeds.

Friday, July 10
Bob Chambers reports: The young birds spent the early morning preening themselves as the sunlight filtered into the gorge, then began taking a series of flights, as they explored where all the best landing areas are, and where the best vantage point for looking down the river toward the Rainbow Bridge are. This provided an opportunity for people to view the birds at close range.  Around 1:05 pm, all three chicks were in the air, when one was seen flipping on his side to grab a kill from Amelia's talons in mid-air - it looked like this was the little male.

Later in the afternoon, the chicks spent some time together on the roof of the powerhouse, playing tag, feeding, and playing in the puddles of water - the roof below was like a huge playground to them.  The chicks are becoming more aggressive with respect to food. Shortly after Amelia killed a pigeon, the chicks ganged up on her and chased her away. A few hours later, once the chicks were long gone from the kill, Amelia flew in to eat her share. Later I saw her drinking from a puddle behind the powerhouse, which was surprising since they generally get all of the moisture they need from the blood and juices of their kills.

Although this is a natural nest site, human influence is definitely present. Observers were reminded of this today when one of the female chicks was seen playing with a discarded juice box. At times her talons appeared to get stuck in the box, and she had to flip her foot around to try to dislodge the empty box.

By dusk all of the chicks had returned to the nest ledge again. When the fireworks began at 10 pm, one of them was startled and jumped along the ledge, but all remained quiet after that.

Saturday, July 11
Bob Chambers reports: Around 3:30 this afternoon, Amelia was seen in a stoop, which resulted in a kill of a Rough-winged Swallow. She then left this kill whole and unplucked at the nest for the two female chicks to deal with.

The male chick was missing for most of the day, but then came into view late in the afternoon and ate the remains of a pigeon kill left on a ledge by Amelia. A bit later, one of the females was seen on a ledge taking time out from flying and eating to play with a small (foot long) stick. She ran back and forth on the ledge with it, flapping her wings for balance and agility.

Sunday, July 12
Bob Chambers reports: The falcons here have really captured the hearts of local people. The volunteers watching the family now number between 70 and 80, ranging in age from 12 to nearly 80!

At 10:30 this morning Amelia flew out over the falls, with her three chicks in tow - what a sight! After this invigorating flight, the chicks returned to the ledge at Table Rock where they stayed for close to two hours, at which point they moved down to the roof of the powerhouse below.

The chicks are now flapping their wings less in flight, and are learning to soar. However, landings are still often awkward, especially when they try to settle down in a tree.  The chicks continue to spend much of their time together, and have some humorous moments. At one point today the male and one of the females were playing in the dust on the ledge, when the male turned his head nearly upside down while watching his sister. Both were also seen making funny gestures and movements with their seemingly oversized feet. One of the females was also seen on top of the huge lights used to light Niagara Falls - she was prancing back and forth, bobbing her head up and down as she looked at herself in the reflectors and lenses. She of course must have thought she was seeing another chick!

Monday, July 13
Bob Chambers reports: The chicks now have names! Wayne Thompson, Mayor of Niagara Falls, has picked the three names from all of the suggestions submitted in recent weeks. The names are: Thunder (male, band TK), Misty (female, band PO), and Cascade (female band OK).

Around 10:45 this morning, Amelia led the three chicks in an aerial display, which involved her diving at small birds, and the chicks following her - it was really as if she was teaching them hunting skills. Shortly thereafter, Thunder was seen flying with a Rough-winged Swallow in his talons, but he probably got this from Amelia - none of the chicks have been seen making a kill yet. After eating this swallow, Thunder was seen coughing up a pellet.

The chicks are gaining confidence and are becoming bolder. One of the females was seen diving at a gull, while another chick came dangerously close to the road - skimming over it just 3 feet off the ground! Thunder made an attempt at catching a pigeon but missed. Misty and Cascade practiced their landings on the handrails and light standards just a feet from the heavy tourist traffic!  Henny was reported today by customs officers at the Whirlpool Bridge, who spotted him while surveying cars on their closed circuit TV system. They added that they have seen both adults perched on light standards in the area.

Tuesday, July 14
Bob Chambers reports: This morning the chicks were seen playing with a pair of sunglasses that had accidentally dropped over the edge and landed on the ledge. The chicks picked up the glasses and threw them around, and pounced on them as if they were live prey. At one point two of them were even seen playing tug-of-war with them.   The chicks are now beginning to use the perches that were favoured by Amelia and Henny, and the adults are being forced to rest elsewhere.

Nadine Litwin reports: About 4:00pm today I arrived in Niagara Falls to take a look at the Peregrine family. It was very hot, humid, very windy, and smoggy in southern Ontario but at the Falls there was a cool breeze coming off the river and cool mist from the Falls.

And the chicks were up!  The chicks fly straight and with authority, but they do not have any speed yet. They are starting to play the upside-down-and-grab-at-each-others'-talons game.

Yesterday one of the female chicks was on a ledge just a few feet below the handrail. Amelia came by with prey in her talons. The chick yelled and made such a fuss, but didn't move off the ledge. Amelia came by again and again ... 8 passes she made with this prey item in her talons, sometimes almost hovering in front of the chick, showing off this bit of food. And finally the chick flew out after Amelia and took it from Amelia's talons. Amelia made it easy for her by flying slowly. Of course everyone watching just cheered to see this!

I also saw one chick do a mini-stoop at a gull that was closely following it. Mind you, the gulls appear to be very careful around these chicks ... I've been told that Henny has rocketed through their midst when they tried to bother one of his youngsters. And one swoop is all it takes for all to scatter!

The views at Niagara Falls are spectacular. Here we're watching the Peregrines from the top of the cliff instead of from the bottom of the canyons as we do in the cities. The chicks are chasing each other ... today it looked like the sisters were up a lot together ... and they chase mostly along the face of the gorge, sometimes just below the level of the handrail, sometimes out at eye level, and sometimes just a few feet above our heads. There are thermals above the Niagara Parkway that they ride too. Occasionally they land behind us in the trees that line the part of the escarpment that leads up into the city. I've seen both Amelia and Henny around watching. Amelia is more visible to us, but she makes herself very visible to the chicks too, sitting out in full view of where they're perched. My guess is that she is setting most of their rules.

When they settle they sometimes try to land on the branches of a small tree just 5, maybe 6 feet on the other side of the handrail, or on ledges just 6 feet below the handrail. We can see so clearly every little feather edging and their blue eyelines, but they pay not a scrap of attention to all of us humans oo-ing and ah-ing at their every move.

When I left at suppertime today all three chicks were on ledges somewhere ... they like to chum around together, preening, playing, "nibbling" at each other's feathers, sleeping in that pecular melt-on-the-ground way that they have ... and Amelia was up, sometimes riding thermals, sometimes power-stroking towards the Falls, stooping only occasionally at a gull. The last I saw of her today she was high, maybe heading out on a hunt. I didn't see Henny, but I have no doubt that he was nearby.

Wednesday, July 15
Bob Chambers reports: The chicks are now seven weeks old, and are spending much of their time in the air. At times this morning it looked like an air traffic controller might be required! At one point all three of them remained in the air for about 40 minutes. Later in the day, around 6 pm, all five falcons were seen in the air together - what a sight.

Cathy Giancarlo reports: All three chicks are still ok. Their flying is great, and their landings are improving. While before they landed on the ledges and Table Rock, now they're finding themselves nooks and crannies to get into, especially to sleep.

The chicks are very playful. Today at one point in time all three were on a ledge together; the male chick rolled over onto his left shoulder, then stuck his foot out. Then one of his sisters came over and started bugging him with her foot; they played back and forth like this like a couple of kittens. And the other day the male chick found a branch (or something that looked like a branch) and spent time pouncing on it and grabbing it.   The chicks are never seen fighting.

The other day Amelia flew by with prey in her talons. It was very small, so small that it looked more like a piece of something rather than a whole bird. The two female chicks chased after her, one above and one below. Amelia dropped the prey, the first chick missed it, but the second one caught it.  Sometimes it's really hard to know who's making the kills. A chick flies in apparently not carrying anything in its talons, lands somewhere, then five minutes later it's seen eating something. Could be that the parents are leaving carcasses about for the chicks to find. Could be that a mid-air transfer took place out of view of the observers.

It's really hard to find Amelia and Henny when they settle in on the cliffs. Amelia's been easier to see because she's the one who's spent more time close to the chicks. But when she tucks herself into a crevice somehwere, the observers lose sight of her quickly. In this natural setting we see how the peregrine colouring acts as camouflage.

Thursday, July 16
Bob Chambers reports: This morning, one of the female chicks was perched in a tree across the road, when she suddenly leapt from it, did several fancy manoeuvres in the air, dropping to only 2 feet above the grass, then landed back up in the tree - had she seen something we didn't?

The chicks continue to practice their landings, and are trying to learn what size branch will support their weight. It is still comical to see them trying to land on a twig!  For most of the afternoon, the threesome was in the air, zooming over the heads of the tourists, chasing each other, flipping sideways to touch talons, and practicing stoops on gulls.

Friday, July 17
Bob Chambers reports: The birds are doing well, and fortunately no injuries have occurred. Because of this, the official dawn to dusk volunteer watch will end today, although many observers will likely continue to visit in the coming weeks on a more informal basis.
Although there was a heavy downpour around 4:30 pm, the chicks were back in the air less than an hour later. Both Thunder and Misty were practicing soaring, and while they are improving, they are still not as graceful as Amelia.

At 7:30 pm, Thunder was spied on top of the hut at the north end of the powerhouse, playing with an old shoe. He would pounce on it, shuffle to one side, then the other, all the while flapping his wings for balance. He did this over and over for several minutes, trying to pick it up with his feet.  The chicks are now ranging further downstream, toward the Maid of the Mist docks, but still spend most of their time around the familiar landmarks close to the nest ledge.

Cathy Giancarlo reports: The three chicks are still playing together, and they're still using the ledges where people can watch them.
They're flying well. The other day two birds, one of them being a chick, headed towards the Rainbow Bridge, then up and up until they were completely out of sight.

The females will send even Amelia off now when they have a kill, until they're finished feeding. Then they lose interest in the carcass and don't seem to care who checks it out next.

Amelia and the three chicks spent almost all of today on the edge of the hydro building roof, which is quite low ... almost at the bottom of the escarpment, overlooking the river. There wasn't much action at all because they slept. About the most they did was to drink from the puddles there.

There's something going on in their learning-to-hunt process, but because much action isn't visible to the observers, it's not always very clear just what's going on. For example, all three chicks came over the hydro building, then one dropped a pigeon. It disappeared into the bushes, flapping. One of the chicks went after it but didn't appear to get it. So did the chick catch the pigeon to begin with? Or did one of the parents catch and then release it to the chicks to get them into the next step of hunting? In the early morning one of the female chicks landed on a ledge near the Table Rock. It was very early in the morning, almost still dark. Then, eventually, it noticed a pigeon on the same ledge. It pounced on the pigeon, the pigeon went over the ledge, and so did the chick. The pigeon got away. So. The chicks are learning. They just have to practice, I guess!

It still appears that Amelia does most of the hunting. But just when you think Henny isn't around much, he appears to help. While two of the chicks were on the low hydro building roof, Henny started stooping, and the chicks scattered. Then it appeared that a man had walked out from the hydro building. So Henny was around alright, and watching everything, and when the chicks needed him, he was there.

Saturday, July 18
Bob Chambers reports: I came to the gorge for only an hour today, but got an eye full of action during that time. The chicks were in the air doing slow circles above our heads, and we could see them glide down gently and silently, passing over the heads of the unsuspecting tourists, and gliding just 5 feet over the handrail. They then went into a stoop down into the gorge, and practiced going after small birds and harassing the gulls. Most of my time was spent looking up - my neck is aching!

Sunday, July 19
Bob Chambers reports: All three of the chicks perched today in an ash tree with a number of bare branches, across from the statue of King George. This tree has a perfect view looking toward the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. The chicks continue to practice flying, and were also seen eating a pigeon provided by Amelia.

Monday, July 20
Bob Chambers reports: Around 7:30 am, I found Misty on the ledge across from the people mover bus stop, with an immature starling. It's possible she got this prey herself, since Amelia was not around, and the starling would have been easy prey. A few minutes later, I saw Cascade on the powerhouse roof, with a Rough-winged Swallow, which she played with like a kitten playing with a mouse. The chicks are now spending noticeably more time in the treed area opposite the American Falls, around the King George statue.
The birds seem to have moved their location downriver to a point just opposite the American Falls. Also, whenever I see the three chicks together, I almost always see Amelia with them, suggesting that she is still very much looking after them (including feeding).

The Niagara Parks Commission plans to move its fireworks display back into the gorge (where the peregrines nested) this Friday July 24.

Wednesday, July 22
Bob Chambers reports: Around 9 am this morning Thunder flew over the handrail, not 20 feet from me, going after a squirrel he sighted at the base of a tree. Needless to say, the squirrel scurried around the opposite side of the tree and Thunder had to do a fast side-slip to avoid hitting the tree. He kept on flying but so low that as he crossed the road he was only a couple of feet off the ground. Later I saw all three of the chicks fly to the American side of the river where they raised hell with the gulls.

Thursday, July 23
Bob Chambers reports: The day started off overcast and windy, but turned sunny later on. Misty and Cascade were observed flying after small birds in the gorge. Around 9:25, Thunder was seen on the grassy ledge at the south end of the powerhouse, about six feet from the handrail. Cascade was seem at the King George observation point opposite the American Falls area.

I found Misty at 10:00 with a kill that was "handed" to her from Amelia. She was on the ledge north of Table Rock.  Around 11:00 am, Misty left Table Rock House ledge after preening herself for several minutes. Two American tourists from Maine were amazed when she returned and landed in front of them about four feet away.  All birds are doing well; they appear healthy and strong.

Tuesday, July 28
Bob Chambers reports: The famous trio are now finishing their ninth week. They are now strong and healthy flyers, and have given birders and tourists alike many hours of awe-inspiring flights.  Last Friday, I watched Thunder, Misty and Cascade playing on the roof of the powerhouse directly below me, eating the kills 'handed off' to them by Amelia. The roof is now their play area, dining area, and home.

Friday evening I returned around 8:30 to watch the birds during the fireworks. All three chicks were on the powerhouse roof. As it became dark the birds all left for the Minolta Tower within minutes of each other. I noticed that people were working north of the powerhouse setting up the tubes (cannons) for the relocated fireworks back into the gorge. I think this may have spooked the birds from the cliff.  At 9:15, just before dark, two birds returned to the nooks and crannies of the cliff just north of the powerhouse, right above the fireworks launchers. Again I went to the operator of the illumination building and asked him to put the white lights on when the fireworks started, hoping that this would provide enough light for the birds to see if they were scared into flight, and for me to see the birds if they flew into the gorge. During the fireworks one bird did fly from its perch, but the smoke generated from the fireworks was so dense I couldn't make out where it went. The level of noise was also deafening, with the echo resounding off the buildings and escarpment behind me.

Saturday morning all three juveniles were very active in the area of the powerhouse. However, they seemed to be spending more time toward the Maid of the Mist docks, and less time near the handrails. Maybe they have realized that humans are not to be trusted!
Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, the birds were very elusive, and harder to find with each passing day. Their old favourite perches near the tourist walkway appear to have been abandoned.

On Monday the three chicks gave a a wonderful two hour show of aerobatics at a very high altitudes - rolls, turns, and stoops. Later they were seen landing in the park lawns and then flying toward the gorge across the road. Most of this activity took place near the old ash tree by the King George statue. Amelia and Henny were not seen at all during this time, but I have not yet seen any kills made by any of the chicks, and they are still taking handoffs from Amelia.

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