July 12, 2019 - International, National and Local News
Marion Nash Reports:
Lucie’s Report
2 boys and 2 girls for DR. JANE (black/red 32/Z, 2014 hatch from Toledo, Ohio, daughter of Belle and Allen) and her new mate, an unbanded one-year-old sub-adult! (He was not seen during our visit)
Welcome LIND (m, 11/AW, 643g, 33 days, white tape), MASON (f, Z/45, 879g, 32 days, red tape), PORTLAND (m, 12/AW, 600g, 28 days, blue tape) and STONE (f, Z/46, 862g, 30 days, yellow tape)
This is the first banding in St. Marys and also a first for DR. JANE! Although she produced three kids in 2017 (two survived) and one in 2018 with her former mate, COSMO, banding was not possible. This nest site is also in a new location, which is not far from where she and COSMO were the last couple of years. Coincidentally, her nest site is the former workplace of Don Bailey, who retired not that long ago, and is passionate about following these peregrines! He is our main contact in St. Marys and we are so grateful!!
We would also like to thank the wonderful people at St. Marys Cement Plant for hosting this banding and sharing in our excitement! This certainly is not an experience that everybody gets to have and we are so fortunate that St. Marys has been very welcoming to DR. JANE and her new family!
A little background on DR. JANE: She is the daughter of Belle and Allen, and there is a bittersweet story behind this couple and why Dr. Jane is a very special falcon. Belle (hatched in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2003) and Allen (hatched in Lima, Ohio in 2004) have been together since late 2006. They produced 24 offspring from 2007-2014. In 2014, Belle was attacked by another female and was seriously hurt .. while incubating her four eggs! Two eggs hatched and Belle, even in her injured state, took care of them. It was not expected that these eggs would hatch, much less thrive and fledge, but they did .. Dr. Jane and her brother Tennant! Belle never returned to the nest. Allan was with a new female in 2015 named Liadan, but in 2016 was replaced with a new male, Rocky. As far as I know, they are still together.
Belle and Allen’s legacy will continue with Dr. Jane’s children, who can now be identified if they are spotted! I don’t know the status of Dr. Jane’s brother, Tennant.
For anyone wanting to know more about Toledo’s birds, you can check out Toledo Peregrine Project’s facebook page.
Some of these photos are mine, and some are Don Bailey’s (also known as ‘Beetle’ .. cute) We wish our kids safe and successful fledges
Posted on July 16, 2019 11:36 am
July 08, 2019 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
July 8th early evening.
Did a spot check on the Sheraton and only saw one peregrine. Can’t be sure if it was a juvie, sitting on the north/west corner of a building at Queen and Bay St.
I took a quick look around Mt.Sinai area and didn’t see any activity. They all must be out flying around with the Adults.
King St.
One adult on the south service area of 18 King St, cleaning prey. Later it was seen on the north east corner of the Dynamic building. I still think it’s Stormin and Chaos coming to this area. I was hoping to see perhaps Quinn or Bonvoy follow Stormin over to King St., have to wait and see if that happens.
Posted on July 13, 2019 10:53 am
July 11, 2019 - Toronto - Don Mills and Eglinton - Amexon
Cathy Kerr Reports:
Banding Day at DON MILLS /AMEXON yesterday!! Meet Kepler (male) and Tardis (either a large male or a small female, a larger female band was put on him to be safe… Time will tell ). Kepler was banded 04 over AW with blue tape(unfortunately he was banded first as the blue should have gone on Tardis ). Tardis was banded Z over 30 with red tape. Many thanks to Mark Heaton, Eva Bobak and Marion Nash for doing the banding!
While we were in at the banding, Mark Nash and John Millar were braving the heat and Jenna and Chester! AND exciting news, a nest tray was installed on the nest ledge!! Mark built it this week, and we got permission from the building management to put it up! Many thanks to Ashling and Amexon!! Then Mark and John had to haul the almost 100 lb tray and 3, 88 lb bags of pea gravel, up to the roof, in that heat, and then lower it down to the nest ledge! Lucie was on the ground and got some fabulous pictures, which she has shared a few with us, thank you Lucie! Hopefully, Jenna and Chester will like it . Kepler and Tardis were returned to the nest ledge and put in the nest tray. Kepler immediately bolted out and tucked in the corner, Tardis stayed put lol. I took some pictures (thank you Lucie for lending me her camera to capture that!). Great day! Fledge watch starts in two weeks !!!! Can’t wait!
Posted on July 13, 2019 12:03 am
July 12, 2019 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Marion Nash Reports:
Although this morning got off to a scary start! I got a text message from Rob that one of the kids might have hit the glass then veered off to the park north of Aberfoyle (the street on the north side of the three towers). I headed over asap, hoping that we weren’t looking for a dead bird. Bruce and Kathy were in the park watching AVRO, who was sitting on a hydro tower and not appearing to be injured .. whew!!!
Rob joined us and once we saw AVRO was okay, he showed me where D’ARCY was sitting in a nearby tree. The sound of agitated birds can be a great compass to locating their predator. She was perched not that high, possibly getting some shade or hunting .. either way, it’s a nice spot over Mimico Creek. This creek flows down to Humber Bay, D’ARCY’s former residence and a favourite go-to place for her and LUCKY.
After Rob and Kathy left, Bruce and I watched AVRO preening, getting harassed by the swallows, and I imagine, contemplating his next move. Sure enough, he took off towards the nest building. By the time we walked over to Eagle Road, AVRO and ARIES were back to their usual shenanigans and joined by BLISS. What a happy sight!! But the mystery remains .. was it AVRO that hit the glass or another bird??
The activity stopped before noon, but I stuck around for a bit anyway. There is very little that I do before I have my morning coffee .. this is an exception. Cheers, Lucie
Posted on July 12, 2019 11:09 am
July 11, 2019 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
July 11th 2019
I found one juvenile on Southwest corner of Hilton then as I got up to Richmond two juveniles and an adult female in the air over Richmond Street and I’m pretty sure I caught the male doing the high pass over Queen and University that accounts for all four
Posted on July 11, 2019 10:57 am
July 10, 2019 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Marion Nash Reports:
We saw the blue tagged falcon outside our window eating a small bird he had caught. See attached photo. Just now June 9, 2019
Caitlin Gossage
Posted on July 10, 2019 7:33 am
July 07, 2019 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Marion Nash Reports:
Sunday’s spot check was nothing short of breathtaking! The spectacular ‘air show’ was non-stop during our 45-minute stay. Everyone was all over the place that I couldn’t keep track of who I was watching until I looked at my photos later. And the weather was fantastic for all this activity!
Twice-rescued ARIES, thrice-rescued AVRO and their sister BLISS, who has never come to ground, are all amazing flyers and a joy to watch. Even the parents were in on the action, and I managed to get a photo of a food transfer between LUCKY and BLISS.
These photos are in no particular order. Enjoy! Cheers, Lucie
Posted on July 8, 2019 11:45 pm
July 07, 2019 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Marion Nash Reports:
Report and photos from Paul Gosselin
A little slow start to the day as the sun came out. Later Juno and Mckeever got more active they have been flying together all day chasing each other and playing around and they both got fed twice. Juno chased victor allot. Daisy got chased by Mckeever.
Around 3 pm Juno was chasing victor and a pigeon came in victor went after it with Juno right behind him. Victor turn away and Juno went after the Pigeon, man what a chase but the pigeon got away. Juno is learning very well and quick to catch his food and looking to hunt on his own, Mckeever is getting there.
Taz was no were to be seen today hopefully he is off somewhere else and he is ok.
Mckeever was left on the back wall when I left at 8:30pm Juno off by the roof’s of the school.
First 3 picture’s are Juno last 3 picture’s are Mckeever.
Posted on July 8, 2019 10:13 am
July 01, 2019 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Today I was down early to the site to check on Raptorette after her release the night before. When I got there I had no one. Nope, no one. No parents, no bratty boys and no Raptorette. Ok. Search is on. I took a slow walk over from Duplex across Eglinton towards Yonge and then south. Well I’ll be if I didn’t find Raptorette on the mezzanine level ledge on the east side of Canada Square! Now this position is quite low but it could be worse. The spot is not a total write off for another flight but it is in a sort of canyon created by the buildings. She’s got options so long as she makes good choices and doesn’t…ugh!! Slip…a ledge hop and walk that didn’t work out at all. She fluttered down to a small ledge right above the Scotia Bank; the same spot she was rescued from two evenings ago by the local community. Why she needed to show me her previous rescue location I’ll never know but here she was a mere 10 feet above the sidewalk and the entire ledge was covered in pigeon spikes for whole length. The spikes are bendable and not sharp at all. They are meant to deter nesting, not injure birds. For her they were hampering her ability to open her wings and find good footing. At this point, with traffic screaming past me on Yonge st, I called Bruce for back up. While I watched two amazing members of the community joined me that were keen to help. Their names escape me at the moment as I am too tired to even remember my own!! They took the west side of the street where she was and I gave them instructions of what to do if she came to ground on their side. I positioned myself on the edge of the road at the construction line on the east side so cars saw me and thinking I was trying to cross, they slowed down. Slowed enough that I could make an emergency stop of traffic as it looked like this was going to be a street rescue. The goofy bird walked south, navigating the bending spikes up her rear, between her toes and under her wings. She walked all the way south until she ran out of ledge and just before Bruce could get out of the subway she flew. She came out low over Yonge Street and just barely cruised over a car on her way south. She tried for the low roof of the connecting causeway between the Canada Square towers and came up short clinging to the wall. That meant we needed to go at this again. I was now in the thick of the street and it all happened in slow motion. She let go, dropped a few feet and headed for Yonge Street flying east. She dodged a second car and landed on the retaining wall of the Minto towers mezzanine after which she plopped down into their gardens. A tenant came out and found me in the street just as Bruce arrived and offered to take me up. Yes please. Thanks to Todd I was able to grab her and get her into a carrier. Canada Square community, you are brilliant. To the folks that helped and were prepared to do whatever we reasonably could for the safety of Raptorette I thank you with the most heartfelt and greatest of respect for all of you. You were amazing!! Thank you once again to Canada Square building management for pulling out all of the stops for this family, Paragon security for being the best support for us watchers and all of you for your kindness and support. She’s back on the ledge and we’re back at it tomorrow!! Photo taken by me, Tracy Simpson
Posted on July 7, 2019 9:55 am
July 05, 2019 - Toronto - Mount Sinai Hospital
Marion Nash Reports:
A brief update on our injured juvenile rescued at the Sick Kids Foundation off of their balcony. X-rays show no fractures and he is responding well to pain management and inflammation treatment. Looks like this little man might be going home soon if all goes well. Thank you to everyone involved in his rescue. Looks like he may get a second chance thanks to all of you. Fingers crossed!! We’ll know more later today.
Posted on July 5, 2019 11:06 am
