Canadian Peregrine Foundation - Tribute to Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria

On June 15, 2002, we learned of the death of Pounce-Kingsley. His wounds were consistent with those that might have been received in an aerial battle with another raptor, so it would seem that Pounce-Kingsley was a fighter to the end. His mate of 8 years, Victoria, has also not been seen for several days, despite having a large family of growing chicks to feed, and it is feared that she too is likely dead. Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria not only made an important contribution to the reestablishment of peregrine falcons in southern Ontario, but also were a critical inspiration for the creation of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation. Below are personal recollections about the lives of Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria and how they have intertwined with our own. To share your thoughts about this special pair of peregrine falcons, e-mail us.

Message from The Nash Family: President, founders (June 16, 2002)
Mark and Marion Nash: It is now just starting to really hit us at what has happened over the past 24 hours. I am deeply saddened by the chain of events, and simply can not find the right words to express my own sorrow of the past few days. Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria were the start of it all - for my personal involvement, my emotional involvement, and the founding/forming of The Canadian Peregrine Foundation. The four years with them, while working in down town Toronto at King St. and Victoria St., and occupying the same roof top canopy, high up on the the 20th floor, the endless 80 hour work weeks, the street watches, and the wonderful people I have met as a result of these two birds made the time seem short and bearable, and has indeed changed my life. These two birds have brought Marion and I many times of madness and sorrow, excitement and disappointment, inspiration and hope, laughter and joy and many other emotions that we can not begin to explain. It is this single pair of peregrines, that have truly changed our life forever and we know they will be missed by thousands in Toronto. We will continue to give it all we've got for the Peregrine and all endangered species - now and always.

On a brighter horizon, 5 chicks remain healthy and will leave a legacy behind Toronto's First pair (our King and Queen), and every effort will be made to ensure that these young peregrines fly free and strong, to spread the message of hope, and that we can all make a difference, and these small differences will cause change.

Marcel Gahbauer: Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria also provided me with my first significant experiences with peregrines. I first became involved with them on the 1997 Fledgling Watch - after running around tracking the movements of Cabot, Atwood, Munro, and Moody for the better part of two weeks, I became well acquainted with the habits of both adults. Since then I have observed them on dozens of occasions, and have had several memorable close encounters with Victoria while releasing rescued offspring of hers on downtown buildings. Like Mark and Marion, I can honestly say that Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria changed my life - had it not been for those days spent with them in 1997, I would likely have followed a very different path than the one which has taken me to where I am today.

Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria were the oldest nesting pair in southern Ontario, with 29 offspring to their credit over 8 seasons. Given the rate of turnover at many other urban sites, it should not come as a complete surprise that their reign has come to an end, but all the same we can't help but be shocked that both birds would be lost so close in time to one another. This pair has left a marvelous legacy, and during their long tenure in Toronto, the southern Ontario peregrine population has grown steadily, to the point where the death of a pair is not as critical to the survival of the population as it was just a short time ago. Given my degree of involvement with peregrines over the past five years, I have seen dead individuals on many occasions - many of which I had enjoyed observing while living. There is always sadness at seeing a magnificent peregrine dead, but to some extent the emotional shock wears off with repeated exposure. I can't say the same though for the news about Victoria and Pounce-Kingsley - as the first to introduce me to the family life of peregrines, they will always hold a very special place in my heart.

Alan Kirschbaum: I'm at a real loss for words. Like many people Victoria and Pounce-Kingsley were the reasons I got into birding in the first place and it has become an indispensable part of my life.

David Dean: I am deeply, deeply saddened and Toronto just got a whole lot emptier for me. I am seeking comfort in the fact that this is a natural rotation. Its timing is terrible, but I suppose it's natural and I am sure that a new pair will take over the downtown skies. I'm never going to feel about any other peregrine like I feel about Kingsley, probably because of my closeness to him over the past few years, but I am looking forward to meeting the new pair. They sure do have big boots to fill. Kingsley and Victoria did wonderful things for the species, Toronto, and many people including myself.

Valiantly you fought for your precious chicks’ survival.
In vain your efforts were beyond your control.
Courage guided your selfless last moments on this earth.
Traumatic circumstances led to the impossible odds you faced.
Out on a limb, you struggled to keep your family alive.
Relying on your strong maternal instincts to travel on a treacherous path,
you met your fate with grace and fortitude.
In sorrow you mourned your mate’s death but had no time to dwell on your own grief.
Angels were calling you, although you thwarted them at every turn,
you could not escape your destiny.

Dearest Victoria, you have given peregrine falcons hope for a healthy future. Your spirit will live on in the proud hearts of your five offspring who must face this cruel and harsh world without your guidance and undying support. Rest assured that we will shelter them in your memory.

Protecting your family fueled your existence.
On the path you chose that tragic day, your priceless life was lost.
Under mysterious circumstances you were torn from your loving family.
None of us were prepared to bid you a reluctant farewell.
Countless moments in time are vividly remembered by your faithful admirers.
Everlasting proof that you existed and played a key role in the recovery of your species.
-
King atop your urban cliff, you reigned with passion in your heart.
In the years you tamed the skies and humbled us with your magnificent presence,
New and hopeful horizons were reached beyond our wildest dreams as you lovingly
       taught your chicks the skills of survival.
Gaining heights unknown to us, you guarded your territory in the hopes of creating
       a safe haven for your family.
Searching within yourself, you set out to impart knowledge and continue a legacy for a
       bright future.
Life intertwined with that of your soul mate Victoria, one by one your chicks fledged.
Every challenge you met was fought with pride and dignity as you championed a noble clan.
Your time to depart this earth has come too soon. Your comforting presence can still be
      felt. How can we say goodbye?

To bid farewell to such a special friend is a heavy cross to bear. Our prayers reach heavenward as we vow to protect your five brave sons and daughters and give them a fighting chance. It is the least we can do to honour your exemplary dedication to preserving the survival of the peregrine falcon.

Juanita Woods: You have my deepest sympathy and I share your sorrow. I have so enjoyed the posts and photos of this remarkable pair. I believe you called him "the elusive Pounce-Kingsley" because he was a tad camera shy. Victoria gave us some nice poses for the camera and she was a beauty.

Ellen Donnelly: Victoria and Pounce Kingsley were the ones who started my whole love of raptors, and reminded me how much I love birdwatching, anywhere, any time, any bird.

A tiny article in the WWF newsletter years ago alerted me to the nest - until then I had no idea that Toronto was home to urban falcons. I ran downtown with my scope, and I was hooked. Passers-by wanted to know what I was looking at, and they were thrilled to be able to see the birds - some kids could hardly be torn away. Some people tried to pay me for letting them use the scope-- it was a funny and a wonderful experience.

The next year I had time to help with the watch. I saw Osprey being driven away from the territory, flying lessons, mid-air food exchanges - but most memorable, these fierce birds looking after their chicks with a gentleness that was incredibly touching.

I have watched many of the Ontario nests since then, both from the ground, and via the web cameras - but the King Street birds were, and still will be, "my falcons".

Every being has to die, and I accept that about life. But it really hurts.

Chris Decastro: I know the skies over Toronto will be a little less blue without Pounce and Victoria flying overhead. They have truly earned a special place in the hearts of all of us who love and care about these magnificent creatures. A special thanks to all at CPF for your tireless efforts to allow the Peregrine to grace our skies once again.

Dale Warren: I first became aware of the return of peregrines to southern Ontario - and the nest-cam - via a small column in the newspaper. At that time, I was working in a very demanding position which rarely permitted time away from my desk for a proper lunch break; however, I would get a small, exciting vacation by watching the nest site and reading the daily postings. Because they were "the only show in town," there was a lot of detailed information
about the persona and perils of the young peregrines and Victoria and Kingsley. I remember being so very sad the day one of the fledglings ended up down the hotel boiler shaft. As a result of this involvement, I joined CPF and have been a keen supporter since, encouraging others to do likewise. V & K certainly were the start of many good things for their endangered species. I hope we get a report on Victoria's whereabouts very soon.

A personal bright spot is that Nate and his lady are almost in my backyard in western Mississauga and I look forward to next year when they will, hopefully, be successful parents.

Paul Marshman: For those of us living in the King Street neighbourhood, the loss of Kingsley is like the loss of an old friend. For years, I've become used to looking up each time I walked outside, expecting to see his bright white chest shining out from the Scotia Tower in the sun, or to catch sight of him soaring above the skyscrapers, riding the wind with that incredible ease.

But my two most memorable sightings both occurred in the same week, during nesting season of 1996. Coming out of my condo building onto Court Street, I saw Kingsley take off from his usual perch on the corner of the Revenue Canada building on Adelaide St. and disappear to the north. In a moment he reappeared, hot on the heels of a pigeon that was flying for its life. The pigeon desperately tried to escape by flying through the laneway between my building and the next, but Kingsley outran him and sent him tumbling with a swift, one-footed blow. He then snatched the bird out of mid-air, wheeled, and seeming to realize I was standing right there watching, fixed me for a moment with a fierce stare before he flew off. I've never forgotten the intensity in that look -- for me it has come to symbolize the essence of the peregrine falcon.

A day or two later, I was watching the Victoria St. nest in the monitor we enjoyed back then, and it was Kingsley's turn to stay home with the chicks. It was a hot morning, with the sun blazing down on the young ones, and as we watched I was amazed to see Kingsley stand up and spread his wings to provide shade for his little brood -- this from a young bird who had originally been raised by humans! The fierce hunter was now the caring father.

I don't know who taught him to do that, or what made him what he became -- the champion sire of Ontario peregrines. But he was a fine creature, and a presence in this city, and we'll miss him.

Paul Hamilton: I heard the sad news on Sunday afternoon, and it hit me hard. Even though I only "knew" them through the Internet, this pair really opened up the story of peregrine recovery in North America to me. Three years ago, I discovered the Kodak peregrine website in Rochester. That site led me to Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria, who, I learned, were not only the parents of Cabot-Sirocco, but also in the first generation of "post DDT" birds. These two remarkable falcons seemed to form a link to the early days of peregrine reintroduction. Now, I learn that the Canadian Peregrine Foundation owes its existence, in part, to this pair.

If it had not been for the peregrines and other large predatory birds, I wonder how long it would have taken for us to become aware to some of the subtle effects of trace pollutants? Will they continue to serve as indicator species, giving us information on the health of the ecosystem? We don't know the answer to either of these, but we do know how much poorer the world would be without the grace, speed, beauty, and passion of these wonderful birds. I know how much I miss Victoria and Pounce-Kingsley.

I have been following their lives almost daily for three years via the CPF website. Victoria and Pounce-Kingsley, as full-time residents on their territory, seemed to me to epitomize the urban falcon. They seemed to have adapted more fully than any other pair. Yet, for all their prowess, I suppose an end like this this was inevitable -- I don't believe it is in the nature of wild peregrines to die quietly in their sleep at an advanced age. However, during their brief, dramatic lives, they filled both the Toronto sky and my imagination.

Bruce Massey: As with Mark and Marion, and most of the volunteers at the downtown nest, I got my first introduction to the fascinating world of the Peregrine Falcon by Victoria & Kingsley. For me, it started back in May-June of 1995, when there was a public appeal by the Canadian Wildlife Service. From almost the first time I saw both the adults and the two eyases I was hooked. Now, some 7 years later I can honestly say that I get the same thrill every time I see a Peregrine as I did the first time I saw Kingsley & Victoria.

I also have the special memories of each of the birds. Like the time I was fortunate enough to catch Victoria in a stoop off the Scotia Tower to Toronto Street in about 5 seconds. Also, I remember Kingsley's flying skills too, his aerobatics. As to the events of the past week, I realize it is a hard thing to accept that the matriarch & patriarch of Ontario falcons are gone. That the first nest in Southern Ontario lies empty. However, it's a good location and who's to say that it won't become active again.

Anyway, I would like to suggest that along with the grief that we are feeling, that we temper that by remembering Victoria & Kingsley for all their accomplishments, such as the above mentioned first in Southern Ontario (thereby giving us 7 summers & winters of insight into their lives) to their legacy of 29 offspring.

Margaret Omnet: I am really sad to hear of Kingsley's death and Victoria's disappearance. My condolences to everyone who has been involved in their lives. My first experience with birds of prey was watching one sitting on the Polo
Club Condo in the middle of the great snowstorm of 1999. At the time I didn't know if it was a hawk or falcon so I started to search the Web for information and discovered the Canadian Peregrine Foundation. I think my love for these beautiful birds started on that day. I follow the lives of all our urban birds on the Web and with my binoculars as often as possible.

Zoe Berger: Like for many others words are hard to come by. A wonderful, rich era has come to an end after so many years - unbelievably with our two heroes defending their existence. This is nothing I wanted to experience and find it difficult to believe it had to end this way.

I too got into birding as a result of these two creatures. Their presence was an educational, emotional and fulfilling experience. I must say I will have a hard time accepting Spike and Mandy into their space. When I see them in the spots where Kingsley and Victoria used to be I almost feel rage. It is impossible to understand that is the way nature is and therefore it should be accepted as part of the whole scheme of things. I know things will sort themselves out.

At least we have a record number of kids to take care of this year. I like to think they realize all those people looking up at them with binoculars all these years will make sure they get the best chance possible - and we will. And, as a co-worker pointed out, without the banding and ensuing intervening, the chicks would have been next. Thankfully Mark & Co. acted swiftly - it is now up to us.

The skies downtown will not be the same. Their wide reaching affect on so many people is truly remarkable. It has been a real privilege to have been able to be around them and their spectacular/vicious way of living. They are very loved and missed.

Brad Carney: Please allow me to express my deepest sympathy to all those involved in the conservation and preservation efforts of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation regarding the passing of a truly international dignitary, Pounce-Kingsley. A great number of us have had our lives forever changed for the better because of this magnificent winged creature. I for one have become much richer in spirit because of the lasting friendships that were forged by this raptor and those who cared for his well being. My first exposure to these caring individuals started in 1999 with a telephone call to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. While in the grassroots stage of the Kodak Birdcam, our newly named male, Sirocco, managed to stand still long enough for us to clearly identify his band on video tape. Since it was of the type used in Canada, a call to the OMNR central office seemed like a good place to start.

Good place to start, indeed! After a couple of phone transfers, the voice on the phone was none other than Mr. Pud Hunter. He recognized the number series as originating in Ontario and offered to search for the information. It wasn't fifteen minutes later that a very elated Mr. Hunter called back and started his conversation with "I have more information about your bird than you will ever care to know." Turns out he personally banded I/0 in 1997, then known as Cabot, the off-spring of Toronto's famous Victoria and Pounce-Kingsley. During our conversation, he politely interrupted wanting to know more about Sirocco's current off-spring. As almost an affirmation of his career, he then stated "Do you realize that this discovery represents the grand lineage and a compete lifecycle of this endangered species?" The next phone call, at Pud's suggestion, the Canadian Peregrine Foundation of course.

Enter, Mark Nash, whose passion about these creatures is abundantly clear. While further explaining that Kingsley was actually a bird banded and released in the US, his name was changed to reflect his heritage, to now be forever known as Pounce-Kingsley. Starting that day and as a gentlemen's reciprocal agreement between the US and Canada, the name Cabot-Sirocco was given to Victoria and Pounce-Kingsley's newly rediscovered off-spring. Seems that these birds could care less about lines on a map! A great deal of credit goes to Mark Nash and the entire staff at the CPF for jump starting the information about Peregrines that you see on the Kodak Birdcam site.

Now, because Pounce-Kingsley once graced our skies, it has been my pleasure and distinct honour to come to know an exceptional person by the name of Kay McKeever. More appropriately, because Pounce-Kingsley couldn't master the skies. Seems he had some technical difficulties early on and had to be nursed back to health by Kay at the Owl Foundation. While she did the best she could for him, he never regained the vigor that he started out with. No problem, his caring mate, Victoria, would shoulder some of the burden by doing more of the hunting if he did more of the nest sitting. A kind of a role reversal in the natural world.

While Kay McKeever has cared for a great deal of Peregrines over the years, I can attest that she holds a special spot in her heart for one of Pounce-Kingsley's lineage, Maxine, a bird from Cabot-Sirocco's 1999 clutch. Seems Maxine succumbed to a similar fate while playing in traffic in Ontario, only to be sent to the Owl Foundation for rehabilitation. A long pause was heard during a phone conversation with Kay regarding Maxine's condition, when she realized that she has cared for a complete grand lineage of this falcon family. As with Pud Hunter, an affirmation of a life long passion and success in a dedicated career.

Kay had originally planned to release Maxine early in October of 2001. Given that the date was so soon after the tragic events of Sept 11th, she thought that we should stay on our side of the border. Nonsense, if that line a map doesn't mean anything to the birds, why should it matter to us? Well, it did matter. As soon as we crossed the border into Canada, there were US flags next to just about every Canadian flag in the everyone's front yard. The waves from passersby, the handshakes from strangers when we parked at rest stops, etc. is something that I will never forget.

So as you can see, Toronto's famous pair has left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of so many caring people and that when I hear the phrase "for the birds," I see the world in a different light and I'm reminded of so many fond memories.

Eve Ticknor: I am so sad for you. I know how much these fine birds meant to you. I was devastated to hear of Pounce-Kingsley's death, and of Victoria's disappearance. I can not see her abandoning her chicks simply because he is not around!

My attachment to Horizon and Connor in Ottawa is probably just as strong, so I can share your sorrow at this time, as I'm sure many others do! Your falcons had many fine families, and their legacy will live on in them, and in the "Fabulous Five" that they left behind. A prayer will go out for those babies, and for their parents, wherever they are.

Shireen Kitto-Powell: I can't find words to describe the feelings I and many, many others are experiencing right now. I only learned this morning (18th and having been out of town) of the tragic death of Pounce Kingsley and probable loss of Victoria. As a volunteer at the Clarica Centre in Etobicoke and watching the tender loving care that Marco and Angel lavish upon their brood as they fledged and being a mother of four myself I shudder at the anguish and desperation that Victoria must have known trying to save her five increasingly hungry chicks all alone and grieving. A votive candle and stick of incense (Myrrh) burn in their memory as I type.

Sara Jean Peters: It is a tribute to your vigilance that the chicks survived this situation. I don't mourn the passing of a life but celebrate the moments we all shared as a part of knowing those who have left us. Nellie McClung's death in Toledo gave us a chance to reflect on just how feisty a bird can be. The naming of Pounce de Leon (Pounce daily on...I never thought you all appreciated the irony of that name!) was one of those YES! moments for me in the peregrine project for someone cared enough to participate in the naming contest and kept a real sense of humor. When he crashed in Windsor, I was heartened by the care he was given in Guelph. His rehabilitation gave me an opportunity to talk to the McKeever folks, the same ones who had worked with Nellie, a circle completed. And then came Lucy's arrival in Ironton...another circle completed. Pounce gave folks an opportunity to learn more about peregrines and appreciate the complexity of life on the wing. I think peregrines have done more to enrich the lives of folks from every economic level than any other animal known to man. I was blessed to have been involved with the birds and people that facilitated those relationships. As much as I gave to the project, I received far more in return.

Linda Woods: Reading all the tributes to Kingsley and Victoria tonight. I manage only to read a few lines and then I have to stop. Like so many others, Kingsley and Victoria were my first experience with wild birds let alone peregrine falcons. It's difficult now to realize that it's not Kingsley and Victoria soaring over Scotia Plaza in the late afternoon and will become more difficult come next spring, to hear vocalizing and remember that they no longer fly the skies of Toronto. It does make me feel much more at peace knowing that their legacy will continue in the 5 little ones hatched last month. May they all have a safe journey

Mary Ann Giglio: You have my deepest condolences. I was shocked to learn of the loss of Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria. Tears blur my vision as I respond to your message. How unfair! This beautiful pair has in their relatively short lives enlightened the world to the secrets of this amazing creation. They have united our countries and many people of all ages in the common goal of preserving a species that the human race has endangered. They have endeared themselves even though raptors are more commonly considered predators. They have built friendships through our common passion for this extraordinary bird of prey. A clutch of five -- what a record to set. They went out in glory!

I feel so sad; I am shocked and disbelieving. I am sorry for y(our) loss. May their five offspring continue their noble parents' legacy and multiply. You are in my thoughts.

Judith Agnew: To me, the peregrines are the epitome of what a real pilot represents. I doubt that there is a glider pilot, or any other pilot for that matter, alive or dead, who has not looked skyward, watched raptors soaring and not wished to be one!

Sandra Hawkins: As a tribute to Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria and all other birds of prey, I can think of no better tribute than the poem, "High Flight":

                          Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
                          and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings.
                          Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling
                          mirth of sun-split clouds, and done a hundred
                          things you have not dreamed of - wheeled
                          and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence.
                          Hovr'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along,
                          and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air.
                          Up, up, the long, delirious, burning blue,
                          I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
                          where never lark, or even eagle flew.
                          And while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
                          the high untrespassed sanctity of space,
                          put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

                                         John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

                                           September 3, 1941

Phil Maillard: My deepest condolences on the loss of Pounce-Kingsley. It must be very difficult for you both right now. Just to let you know I share your loss and I know how it feels to lose a beautiful bird such as these. Our loss last year here in Ottawa was deeply felt by many; words are not easy. The positive side to this is that with the help of Mark, Marion, Marcel and others, the 5 chicks in Toronto are safe. It is because of people like yourselves that the peregrine population gets the help they deserve.

Fleur Medbery: When I met Victoria and Pounce-Kingsley, they were already the established celebrity couple of Toronto's wild peregrine community…yet I was a new student of raptor life. I learned about them through one of their many offspring - Cabot-Sirocco, who with his mate Mariah kept me glued to the internet as they gladly ignored all peering eyes…and went about the business of raising several broods…one of which included Bonnie G.

After the entertainment began to wear off, I began to understand the deeper meaning of the not only the survival of Mariah and Cabot-Sirocco, but also the survival of the preceding generation for this endangered species, peregrines. …Surely this is a story told similarly by many a novice like myself…. Gathering a piece here…and a piece there…. Learning how Latin America enters into it all…knitting in some borrowed information from a cousin who writes a pesticide newsletter….

This year, I felt confident enough to begin sharing some of this with my clients at work - homeless people who I counsel in NYC as a health professional. We initiated my "Informal Mental Health Clinic," peppered with beautiful photographs of peregrines, courtesy of my home printer. Victoria's photograph became prominent…looking rather cold and soggy in April 2002, but no less determined. My clients could identify with her…and wanted to know more. I begged Marcel for a photograph of Victoria's and Pounce-Kingsley's eyases…the "Toronto Five," we now have begun to call them. Each day I put up new photographs of peregrine development…knowing all the while, I have only been able to do this because of the careful attention of the good people at the Canadian Peregrine Foundation, those who observed for so long this valued pair...and of the people manning the Rochester, New York, site.

The recent tragic loss of the this couple has only inspired my clients, wanting to know more, wanting to know the fates of the family, asking me every imaginable question…wanting to see the five survive. indeed drawing them out. 'What will happen now?' 'How will it be handled?' 'Who will feed them?' And, of course, that big question: 'Where is Victoria?' Perhaps unbeknownst to themselves, they learned to care…and were lifted up a bit. Homelessness can be such a dehumanizing experience…and this has ironically helped the few I help to inch their ways back….

Victoria, and her mate Pounce-Kingsley will live on, for they have given these serendipitous moments…and my clients will not let them go until the "trail goes cold." We are indebted to all of you at C.P.F. for this gift…I do not know what to call it. Thank you for caring so much….

There’s no rainbow without the rain,
No Falcons saved without some pain,
No summertime without the spring,
No tears without the king.

I will not cry though I have the right
Pounce-Kingsley you were and are our guiding light,
So no matter what the season,
Or whatever skies above,
We will always remember you with gratitude and love.

And in this nest lived Victoria a joy to us all,
How we long to hear her plaintive call.

What a fitting name Victoria has been,
For this bird proud and graceful as any Queen.

Since there is little hope for your return,
your family of 5 little ones is now our concern.

The family of humans you have had for so long,
Will help them to grow healthy and strong.

When they fly up in the sky so proud and free,
We will feel joy and marvel at your legacy.

Carolyn A. Roberts: It is with great sadness that I learned of the demise of Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria. I keep hoping that I will check this page and find that she has been located. I've followed their lives from 1995 when I volunteered in the Cathedral Office at 65 Church Street until the fall of 1997 and even after that I've checked in every year to follow their progress and that of their offspring. I am heartened to learn that their last five chicks are doing so well.

Saley Lawton: I have just heard the sad news about Kingsley and Victoria and am devastated. My office is on the ninth floor of the office building on the north-east corner of King and Victoria, opposite the nest site, and I've had so much pleasure watching these two birds and their families, particularly when flying lessons started. Meetings here would stop abruptly when there appeared to be a summer snow storm outside - some poor unfortunate seagull was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm so pleased that the chicks were rescued in time and that they're thriving. While Kingsley and Victoria can never be replaced, I do hope that a new pair will select this downtown location as a nesting site.

Sue McCreadie: I am at a loss for words and have been pondering what to say since hearing about Victoria and Pounce-Kingsley earlier this week. Although I have never had any contact with Victoria and Pounce-Kingsley, I have certainly come to know the "human" Peregrine family through my "from a distance" association with the Etobicoke nest site. Mark, Marion and Marcel, my thoughts are with you. As I read through the many tributes to Victoria and Pounce-Kingsley tears filled my eyes. I thank you for all that I have learned in the past couple of years. It has been a life changing experience.

My first introduction to the Toronto Peregrines was a result of a walk one-day at noon. I just happened to be heading out from my office in the Clarica Centre for walk on Bloor Street. Low and behold it was banding day. There on the swing stage were the window washers being attacked by Angel and Marco and I had never heard such a racket in my life. I ran inside just in time to see the banding taking place and I have been hooked ever since. I spend my lunch break daily in the Etobicoke Falcon Watch Centre glued to the TV monitor and looking for any update that is available.

Thanks to the Canadian Peregrine Foundation, I hope that we see Victoria and Pounce-Kingsley's little ones will go on to teach others the magnificence of nature.

Jean Masson: Lorsque ma fille Stéphanie habitait Toronto, nous allions y célébrer la fête de Pâques. L'après midi du Vendredi-Saint était consacrée à l'observation du site de nidification du Bas-de- la-ville; j'ai ainsi passé plusieurs heures à les observer. J'ai également suivi leur évolution sur le site Internet. Comme je m'occupe du bien être des Faucons Pèlerins de la Tour de la Bourse depuis 1994, je peux comprendre la douleur que ressentent les gens de Toronto lorsque survient un événement semblable. Amitiés.