Canadian Peregrine Foundation

!!! Dawn

May 25, 2013 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre

Jan Chudy Reports:

As I checked in from France via the web cam, I found the three little ones on their own.

!!! First Hatch for Madame X and Surge!!

May 24, 2013 - Hamilton - Sheraton Hotel

Kathy Reports:

These two don’t waste any time, even though they were late with egg laying this year the first hatch for Madame X and Surge has taken place this evening!!

Congratulations Hamilton!!

!!! Statler and Caster on guard!

May 21, 2013 - Kitchener - Sun Life Centre

CPF Postmaster Reports:

Hi all,
My hubby and I have had to be at the hospital for various reasons in the last while. After Marks recent email about the peregrines being at CTV, I decided to take my camera along and intentionally parked on the 7th level.

On my way in I captured one of the peregrines perched in the middle of the drum and on the way out captured the same one in the same place at the other perched on the upper red rails. No one was sitting on any kind of nest although you could see a ‘pile’ of stuff at the bottom of the drum. I have attached a couple of images for you to see who is who .

I assume it is our ‘pair’ and assume Staler was the bigger and the one perched on top. Please correct me if I am wrong. Good to know that they are around. Obviously couldn’t get any closer to see any band ID’s.
Karen

!!! Mid-morning meal

May 23, 2013 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre

Jan Chudy Reports:

Checking in from France via the web cam at 10:16 Toronto time, I managed to get this shot of the little ones being fed .

!!! Family Time

May 22, 2013 - Toronto - King Street

Linda Woods Reports:

Looks like Erin is having a family chat with the little ones

Food For Three

May 22, 2013 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre

Linda Woods Reports:

Feeding time at the Sheraton. Three hungry little ones.

William Osler Has Four!!!!

May 22, 2013 - Etobicoke - William Osler

Tracy Simpson Reports:

This news just in from Ross Bartlett at the William Osler site.  Chessie and Hurricane have four young in the tray!!  Congratulations to the great folks at William Osler and thank you so much for your incredible support of the pair.

Possible Banding Date for Waterloo; Still Tenative But in the Works!!

May 22, 2013 - Kitchener - Sun Life Centre

Tracy Simpson Reports:

The details have yet to solidify regarding the banding of the chicks in Waterloo but it is in the works!!  We are very excited that we might be able to arrange this opportunity so please check back soon for the latest news!!

Two Chicks Confirmed in Waterloo

May 11, 2013 - Kitchener - Sun Life Centre

Tracy Simpson Reports:

Bruce and I headed out to the Waterloo territory to confirm or deny my observation of a hatch on May 7^th at the CTV studio where Statler and Caster had chosen to nest in the communications drum on the tower.  When we arrived, Statler was in the drum and looking like a muffin top.  Based on photographs and observation that I had made previously from the same watch location, I could confirm without doubt that she was elevated and not lying flat in the base of the drum.  Caster was sitting above her on the center drum arm and was sleeping the day away.  The weather was cold and crisp so Bruce and I were in for a good ole fashioned sit in.  For an hour and a half neither of the adults moved much.  Caster stayed on the center arm of the drum and Statler, although sleeping, shifted and shuffled a great deal.  Several times she re-arranged her position but it was always with wings low and small movements.  She was not revealing a thing.  By 3:30pm, Caster moved to the top of the drum and then finally took off to the north and out of view.  Statler continued to sleep in her elevated position and again was not willing to share what she hid beneath her.  At about 4pm, Caster came whipping up King St. with food and Statler waddled to the front of the drum.  She took off over King and met Caster in the air for a most incredible food drop!  She caught the prey and flew up to the top of the drum to prepare it.  All this time Bruce and I were on that drum and not so much as sneezing as this was our chance, our one opportunity to see whether the news was true.  As the drum environment began to cool, we caught movement in the back.  First one, then another began to move and we could clearly count two little heads moving in search of Mommy and her warm belly.  It was a full 10 minutes before Statler returned to the drum and began to feed the two visible chicks in turn.  I snapped as many pictures as I could but from the high school it can be really difficult to catch the detail of the feeding.  Caster had since landed on the top of the drum and was watching closely as his offspring were being delicately cared for.  As the feeding finished, Statler consumed the remaining prey and snuggled back down on top of her brood.  This is when Caster began to alarm.

We scanned the sky for what caught Caster’s attention and at first we couldn’t see a thing.  Then out of nowhere, in comes a large and dark bird circling.  This was most definitely another falcon and a female at that.  Caster met her out in the air above the hospital as she was circling closer and closer to his family and it was a no holds barred battle between the two.  Caster eventually escorted this female by force out of the territory and to the west.  But she came back.  Within minutes they were once again locked in battle with Caster being the aggressor.  He smacked, dove and flashed talons at her in a complete defensive rage.  This time the two battled out to the east and Caster saw her out of range before returning.  Five minutes later, she was back again!  This time Caster was out of patience and went absolutely ballistic on her.  Full stoops and full contact was all we could see from Caster as he let loose on this intruder that threatened his newly hatched family.  She was again escorted out to the west and this time did not return.  But Caster was wired and was not spent yet.  A Harrier came loping through to the north of the tower and he took out all of his angst on this bird who was now beating a most hasty retreat, one that we haven’t seen in a long time!  Caster was on fire and this bird knew it.  It was amazing to watch this little male doing what he just did with two birds that were much larger by comparison.  He did an awesome job!

So, we have a hatch.  This is conclusive and without doubt.  The amazing staff at Waterloo Sun Life and the local community watchers have already mobilized and the resident pair has the full support of the people who adore them.  Congratulations Waterloo on your miraculous hatch!!

 Pictures will follow very shortly as they are edited.  Check back soon!!

To Hatch or Not to Hatch in Waterloo

May 07, 2013 - Kitchener - Sun Life Centre

Tracy Simpson Reports:

I was in the Waterloo area delivering Project School Visit to elementary school children and knowing that this was around the expected hatch date, if there was to be one,  I decided to take my lunch hour down by the CTV tower and monitor the activity in the drum.  As I watched, Statler stayed very close by and didn’t wander much beyond the tower itself.  She stayed mainly on the top of the drum and slept and moved only once to the railings above and once to the top of the tower where she continued to roost and preen.  Caster was clearly inside the drum and was now in an elevated position with his back and head now visible.  During the hour that I spent there he shifted, shuffled and wiggled about which had me believing that a hatch had either occurred or was imminent.  The all too familiar “razorback” position of the feathers down his spine was also visible and so putting all of these factors together, I considered that this pair had succeeded in doing the “next to impossible” in their chosen environment; eggs were hatching.  Statler eventually flew off of the top of the tower and entered the drum to relieve Caster of his duties.  She took up the same position as he did which was elevated above the base and with that telltale razorback spine.  Before I could share the definitive fact of this news I needed to confirm this with observations of chicks, spent shells or a feeding and so I planned to come back to the site and do just that.  The potential for a failed nest still existed as I was only going on my gut feeling and my 14 years of experience doing this.  Even with all of my experience and knowing what I was seeing, I still needed complete confirmation as in this particular case I was not going to report a “maybe”.  This was a unique situation and confirmation of a hatch would mobilize an entire community (no pressure).  I then decided to attend the site again in 5 days or so, when chicks if they were to be had would be able to sit upright for periods of time that would give me the look I needed.  More waiting…   …phew!