!!! Important Message. A Different Male On Site. Not Windwhistler.
January 18, 2015 - Toronto - King Street
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Every once in a while I have news to report that I struggle to put into words. In trying to put my observations down in print, I will write and delete many times as no matter how I say it, it just sounds wrong. This is one such post. Please bear with me as it is a long post but it is important to include all observations leading up to this point.
Let me start at the beginning. On January 11th, I tuned into the King street cam as I do every morning and captured an image of the male on the ledge. It looked as though he had just landed there and immediately my eyes focused on his legs. Black recovery band, yes. Silver USFW band, yes. But… …the orientation was wrong. The black band was on his left and the silver on his right. After watching Windwhistler for, well, ever (so it seems) this was so very wrong. Windwhistler is one of 3 resident adults that we are aware of in Ontario whose bands are reversed. That is to say the black recovery band appears on his right leg instead of his left.
I contacted Linda right away as she is one of the most experienced people with the downtown nest sites and for the next few days the two of us watched King street like hawks.
I know you… …as ridiculous as that sounds I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It is almost impossible to distinguish one peregrine from the next based on markings alone as an individual bird can appear different depending on whether the bird is puffed up, slicked down, etc. That said, this bird was just so unforgettable. I was in the area on Monday January 12th and made a point to do a site check. Erin was on the ledge laying down behind the pillar (she is doing this more often now as she gets on in age) and the male was on the southeast corner of the nest building. He was roosting and looking south but I wouldn’t say he was comfortable. After a few minutes he began to vocalize and I watched him jet off of the nest building in a stoop down to Front Street where he disappeared low and west. The female remained on the nest ledge.
Linda made a few trips out to check on activity in the area but the cold made the adults scarce and the viewing tough. We agreed to meet on Saturday the 17th along with Bruce to try and sort this all out.
This Friday January 16th I was able to save a series of web cam images of both adults on the ledge. The male was sitting in the sun for a few minutes and in that brief period the head markings brought one particular bird to mind immediately. Looking at the image it was as if the bird had been turned upside down and dipped in a bowl of black ink. A helmet head that was so distinct it was remarkable. No distinct malar stripe, just a thick, inky black hood. Later that morning the female appeared at the far end of the ledge and laid down in the sun. She was alone for a while then suddenly the male appeared on the ledge down by the camera. I was able to capture several images of him approaching her, she stood and the pair briefly bowed at each other. This was not right at all.
Today, Saturday January 17th, Linda, Bruce and I were determined to sort it out for certain. Bruce started out at King and Leader Lane with the male in sight on the nest ledge. I came in from the west and went down to the Queens Quay for some recon of the area around the lakefront. No sign of any birds to the south. I joined Bruce and Linda at the site but the pair had already disappeared. Bruce and I each took a recon walk around the area and Linda did recon to the south. It wasn’t until about 12:30pm that the male returned. He flew over to the northwest corner of the condos on Wellington where we confirmed his band orientation, black recovery band on his left leg. He then flew over to the east side of the King Edward to roost.
I KNOW YOU…. …I couldn’t stop thinking this! We had him roosting on his right leg and waited for a stretch or preen. We finally got what we were looking for and the full recovery band came into view. We can confirm without doubt that the male currently hanging around the 18 King Street East territory is black 30 over black Y. This is Stormin hatched at the Toronto Sheraton Hotel nest in 2009. Windwhistler’s grandson.
I had occasion to deal with Stormin quite personally during his brief evaluation with us after being found grounded back on December 1st, 2013. He is one of the most distinct looking peregrines I have ever seen and it was that head that I instantly recognized. This is the first confirmed sighting of him since he lost his territory at Canada Square to Malik, the new confirmed resident male on May 16th, 2014.
So what does this all mean? The facts are this. Stormin showed up on camera on January 11th and has been making appearances ever since. He is courting Erin and we have not witnessed any other males in the area so far. This does not mean Windwhistler is gone, only that he currently is not on site. Spring mating season will be the true judge of which male will rule this territory. To all of you out watching birds along the lakeshore in winter, keep your eyes open as Windwhistler may be hunting these areas. Bruce will be down today, Sunday January 18th to try and confirm Erin’s band number and observe behavior.
Of note, both Erin and Windwhistler are 17 years old as of spring 2015.
Pictures will follow shortly.