July 14, 2010 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Mark Nash received a phone call from our wonderful supporters at MEC security that a banded juvenile had been recovered on their rounds outside one of the buldings. The unfortunate juvenile has been identified as 18 over Y better known as Joe. There was no visible trauma that would indicate what had happened to him yet it was most likely an impact with a window of one of the MEC buildings.
For the juvenile peregrines that have successfully fledged and are now learning the fine art of flight, the dangers can be much greater than when they were floppy first timers. The juveniles now have a much greater degree of confidence and navigate through their environment at much faster speeds. This makes collisions with buildings and other objects dangerous and even deadly, as was the case for young Joe.
While I was at the site, the other 3 remaining juveniles were flying around well and landing on MEC 2 and 3 like pros. We wish them well in their learning and hope that they do well in their travels south this fall.
Posted on August 7, 2010 5:59 pm
June 27, 2010 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
CPF Postmaster Reports:
While the “kids” maybe away from the house (or off the nest ledge) at the moment, its only for a short time. The resident adults still have the hardest part of their job still to come.
Ongoing protection, feeding and training the “teenagers” to fend for themselves is a huge task for the two resident adults.
So far, there has been NO mortality and everyone seems to be doing quite well, staying aloft and away from the windows. The very good news: Is that each of the juveniles have all brushed up into the windows, and unlike many other birds, the young peregrines actually learn the dangers of the windows, and if they hit them softly and don’t injure themselves on these initial collisions, they do learn to stay away from glass.
This is an important lesson learned, as they will soon be picking up incredible speeds as they get older and more experienced, and if they have not learned the “window lesson “ early in their flight development, collisions with the windows at advanced ages usually results in serious injury or most often mortality due to the speeds that the juveniles are now travelling. We actually hope that they experience the “window lesson” early in their maiden flights, as they are slow and sloppy in their flights, and usually hit them softly at this stage.
For the next 30 to 90 days, the juveniles will be utilizing the nest ledge and still sleeping there most nights. Far from independent and able to feed them selves at this point, the youngsters have much to learn now that they can fly.
The adults will have to teach them many of the life skills that the juveniles will have to learn to survive to adulthood, or should I say, just survive another day)!!
Remember that by mid September, thousands of years of hard wired instincts will have the young juveniles head south on a migration and with upwards of an 80% mortality and many perils and risks, the juveniles will need all of the help that they can just to survive their first year.
The adult parents have their job cut out for them while teaching the juveniles how, what and where to hunt food, and how to recognize and escape from all of the “bad guys” out there. At this point, even their landings are terrible, as it takes allot of practice just to brake and coordinate a good landing!
Even after the juveniles have learned what to hunt (where and how to hunt it), there will be many trials and errors (misses and failures) before they are actually able to catch anything them selves, and this will take some time to hone their hunting skills.
Stay tuned, and look to the skies, as the best viewing is yet to come!!
Posted on June 27, 2010 10:35 am
June 22, 2010 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
I arrived at 6:00pm this evening to take the closing shift for Mark as he headed off to a CPF event at another nest site. As is protocol, he updated me on the activity level on the ledge. “All calm and quiet here.”, he said. “Well behaved little bunch this afternoon.” …yeah, well behaved right up to the very moment that Mark pulled out of the driveway..
The next two and a half hours began with what is best described as “Blam!! Pow!! Zowey!!.” I looked up at the nest ledge and began counting heads. One, two, wait no, three… …no two, one, three…? They kept bopping up and down like little jumping beans! I had three for sure and went looking for a fourth. As I approached MEC 2, off of the roof comes number four. Oh how I wish you could have seen this landing! This little juvenile male landed on the retaining wall of the roof of MEC 1, the nest building, and had such a head of steam going that when he landed, the inertia pitched him face forward right onto the roof. And here he was thinking he was sooo cool!! It turns out that this little one was Wade and he made a flight out from the roof and landed on the nest box without a hitch.
It was 6:21pm when the adult female arrived with food to a chorus of screams from an over-zealous spoiled group of brats! This adult female has, and I can’t stress this enough, consistently brought in food between 6:00pm and 6:30pm every single day. Maybe peregrines can tell time!
After supper was playtime. Dominating the most raucous activity was the tag team of Craig and Wade. These two… …they held races down the ledge, tag on the nest box, sister pouncing and sumo wrestling to round it all out. Full of beans doesn’t cover it!! By 7:00pm, Wade had made another flight to MEC 2 which he attempted to tease Craig into trying. Joe and Xuan on the other hand, decided that napping was more important. During all of this “goofery” , the adult resident pair circled the building performing all sorts of aerial acrobatics showing the juveniles just how its done. With all three juveniles ( except for Wade ) back at the nest box, our young adventurer makes another flight to the nest building roof. All birds are now settled in… …just as Mark returns from his presentation.
“So, all looks quiet here. How have they been? Give me a brief.” I just stood there, hair a mess and clothes askew with a stunned look on my face. There is nothing “brief” about the last two hours. My answer to him, a single word… …exhausting!
At last look, as I made my way back to my car, the juvenile Wade was making a last flight out to the condos north of the nest building. An incredible feat as this is a long flight for a young fledgling. A few minutes to catch his breath and he was airbourne again and headed right into the ledge on the north side of the nest building. This story ends with Wade running down the ledge “whee, whee, whee all the way home” to bed.
Posted on June 25, 2010 3:49 pm
June 22, 2010 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Mark Nash Reports:
Having had to be away and off site most of the day on Tuesday, I can’t offer much as to the day’s activities of the fledglings as we will have to wait for Tracy’s report of her time in on the MEC watch.
Marion and I arrived back to the site later in the evening to relieve Tracy, so I can only offer my limited observations of the status of the birds at the close of the watch. Upon our arrival around 8:30 pm, all four juveniles were in view, with three juveniles on the nest ledge around the nest box, and one juvenile on the upper roof area of the nest building.
Losing light quickly, (combined with the distances from the ground to the nest ledge), it was difficult to identify the individual youngsters even with the scope, but clearly one of the three on the nest ledge was Xuan, (being much larger than her two brothers).
Around 8:50pm, the little juvenile that was on the upper nest building roof area took a very long flight out to the north and then to the south trying to land on MEC #3, but after a failed landing attempt, he headed north east with yet another very long flight and eventually swung around heading south and finally landing on the top of the condo building far to the north east of the MEC buildings.
No problem holding his altitude, as his landing spot was every bit as high as the MEC roof top elevation. There he rested for about 15 minutes and took flight again, flying south west as he swung around and finally landed on the east site of MEC #1 - (the nest building). While a “hard landing”, he did in fact land on the nest level ledges, and slowly worked his way around the east ledges to the south ledges and finally ended up back with all of his siblings at the nest box!
A heart warming greeting then took place with much beak rubbing and beak touching between three of the siblings with the arrival of their long lost brother. It was a very touching few minutes as we watched the three rub beaks together and eventually snuggled together and lay down side by side making sure that they were all touching / making contact with each other. The forth juvenile watched the entire event and then walked over to the three and layed down beside them.
As darkness fell, we left all four of the juveniles snuggled together on the nest box landing platform.
It appears that all four juveniles have been successful in sustaining their altitude and able to return to the nest ledge and the fledge watch for us is almost over. We will be on site for the next few days to ensure that they are in fact holding their altitude and staying off the ground. At this point, its up to the parents to carry on with their flight training of the kids.
Posted on June 23, 2010 11:50 am
June 22, 2010 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
CPF Postmaster Reports:
While the “kids” maybe away from the house (or should I say the nest ledge) throughout the day, it may only for a short time depending on the nest site. Now that the juveniles are flighted, they are investigating their new world and they will be honing their new flight skills. While they will be difficult to see them for the most parts throughout the day, they are still very dependant on their parents for food and protection for many weeks to follow.
Remember that the resident adults still have the hardest part of their job still to come. Protection, feeding and training the “teenagers” to hunt and fend for themselves.
For the next 30 to 90 days - (depending on the advancement of each individual fledgling), the juveniles may still be utilizing the nest ledge and still sleeping there at nights, as this is still the only home that they have ever known. Also, remember that this still remains the occupied territory of the resident adults, and these territories (and the nest ledge itself) are still very much under the resident adults control. It is their territory and it will still be protected from all intruders!
Unlike the “non-urban” nesting falcons, most of the urban nesting adult pairs remain on territory all year long and continue to defend the nest ledge and territory throughout the entire year, even during non nesting times.
A far as the juveniles are concerned, their adult parents still have to teach them all of the life skills that the they will have to learn to survive to adulthood, (or should I say, just to survive another day)!!
By mid September, thousands of years of hard wired instincts will have the young juveniles head south on a migration and with upwards of an 80% mortality and many perils and risks ahead of them, the youngsters will need all of the help that they can just to survive their first year. The adult parents have their job cut out for them trying to teach the juveniles how, what and where to hunt food, and how to recognize and escape from all of the “bad guys” out there.
Stay tuned, and keep your eyes to the skies over the next few weeks in and around the nest sites as the best viewing is yet to come!
Posted on June 22, 2010 1:08 pm
June 21, 2010 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Mark Nash Reports:
I hooked up with Bruce this afternoon at MEC and got the updates. Two of the boys (Joe and Craig on the nest ledges running a flapping, sleeping and screaming as per the norm), and of course Wade cooling off in the air conditioning. Xuan (Soon) still on the upper nest roof ledges screaming most of the day for mom to come and feed her, but know avail. A very quiet afternoon indeed (with the exception of Soon screaming all afternoon), up until 6:20 pm when mom finally flew into the nest box and spoon fed each of the two boys beak to beak in a delightfully entertaining 20 minutes as I watched her feed each juvenile. Unlike most of the feedings these days when mom simply flies in and has the food aggressively snatched from her by one fo the juveniles, this was a really tender family moment.
Finally at around 8:40 pm, Xuan finally made the leap into space and flew south of the nest building roof where she had been all night and all day today, hooked around flapping for all she was worth and made a very bad landing,, BUT she did land on the nest box landing platform never the less. She screamed the entire way out and around as she collided with the upper lip of the nest box. She hit the landing platform so hard, I could here the “thunk” from my street level position, and almost bowled over one of her brothers right off the nest box landing platform.
By dark, all three of the juveniles had retired back into the nest box and disappeared from my view.
Back to examine little Wade just before releasing him. Feisty and very alert with lots of attitude, we proceeded to the upper nest building roof top to release Wade. He was released without innocent and I was finally able to depart for home at around 10PM.
We’re almost there!!! A couple of more days to go…
Stay tuned…….
Posted on June 21, 2010 9:32 pm
June 21, 2010 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Mark Nash Reports:
I received a call early this morning from Bruce from the MEC watch with good news, in that he was alerted by the alarms calls from the local group of crows that live in the neighbourhood. Further inspection (combined with the fact that he explains that he was missing two juveniles from his view upon his arrival this morning), Bruce was able to locate one of the absent juveniles.
Identified as Wade by his band number, Wade was low hanging on in the tress behind MEC #4 being harassed by the large family of crows who were not happy about their new neighbor. (It’s tough being a young raptor, and there are many lessons to learn,, the hard way). This mornings lesson: - Crows are not very friendly at all, and they are very noisy!! Second lession of the morning: Mom and dad will not always be there to help!!
Wade was finally driven out from the cover of the tree branches by the crows and forced to fly again. Losing altitude yet again, and pursued by the crows, Wade was forced into the office tower windows several stories up and collided with the building and floated down to the ground to the concrete.
Bruce was on hand to both witness the entire event and rescue Wade from the ground moments after the crash. After a quick inspection to insure that there was no immediate evidence and obvious signs of serious trauma, Wade was placed in the rescue carrier for a hold over allowing him to cool out and settle down for a later more detailed examination of any delayed serious trauma.
As with all of the other downed birds, especially where there is hard collisions involved, they are kept in a cool darkened quiet stress free room on site where that has been provided to us by the building management. Wade will be examined after the cool down period again for further signs of trauma and the appropriate action will be taken.
Way to go Bruce!! Stay tuned……
Posted on June 21, 2010 11:49 am
June 20, 2010 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Mark Nash Reports:
I can’t even begin to describe the entire days events, and will have to summerize, as it now after midnight and Marion and I have just arrived home after completing a very long 14 hours in the streets on the watch today and three downed fledglings being released back to the rooftops at two different locations. Still have to file my observations and do the postings. With many thanks to Kathy, Marion and Tracy who came to my rescue today at the MEC watch in an effort to help me locate all of the missing juveniles, and for Tracy for doing the rescue of Xuan - (pronounced Soon) late this evening, we finished off the watch with all FOUR juveniles and both resident adults accounted for!
After turning Mississauga upside down throughout most of the day looking for the four missing juveniles, they all suddenly just appeared at the same time on the nest ledge! One minute they were not, and the very next minute they were all there!!! Unbelievable!! All four juveniles were sleeping down in the nest ledge below the nest box and for the most part of the day remained hidden from all of our searching. Obviously both Joe and Craig has at some point before I arrived for the morning watch, been successful in leaving the upper roof area and getting back to the nest ledge.
Throughout the balance of the day, we watched all three of the juvenile males make many short flights back and forth from MEC 1 to MEC 3 rooftops while mon teased them with fly buys with food.
At approx. 8:35 pm, the young juvenile female (Xuan) finally couldn’t stand all of the teasing and the fact that her three brothers were getting all of the food and she took her first flight.
While not a bad short flight, she was unable to coordinate her landing and after a few brushes with the windows, she eventually ran out of steam, losing altitude and came to the ground. She was spotted by MEC security in a flower pot outside of the MEC 1 and Tracy was dispatched and completed the rescue. Xuan was placed in the rescue carrier and examined for any injuries and other trauma before being released back to the nest building rooftop just after dark.
Again, with thanks to the MEC security staff for all of their assistance and support in helping us locate the juvenile and for helping us get them back to the roof.
Stay tuned, the watch continues tomorrow………….
Posted on June 21, 2010 3:22 am
June 20, 2010 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Mark Nash Reports:
A fledge watcher’s worst nightmare. Upon my arrival this morning, there were absolutely no birds in sight including the absence of both resident adults. After walking around the four MEC properties for over 2 hours searching every nook and cranny, every parking lot, and all of the surrounding roadways, nothing was found! Finally around 11AM, the resident adult female flew in from the south and landed on the nest box landing platform. She stopped, looked down into the ledge below the nest box and flew off to the north. Nothing in the nest box itself, but something was obviously noticed below as that was the reason she flew over in the first place,,, to check on someone!
By 11:30am, Marion and Kathy arrived to help in the search. Moments afer their arrival, one juvenile finally popped up from the ledge below the nest box, flapped its wings, rushed along the upper ledge to the corner of the nest ledge and dropped down again out of our sight. Neither Craig or Joe has been sighted since their release back to the nest building roof top last night.
After a two plus search of all parking lots, parking ramps and the surrounding roadways and buildings, trees, and the creek on both sides of Robert Spec parkway, not even a single resident bird of any kind was kind enough to help me with warning or alarm calls that would have tipped me off of a downed fledgling. So the wait continues in the hope that mom or dad will give us some help as to where the fledglings may have grounded themselves.
Stay tuned………
Posted on June 20, 2010 11:53 am
June 19, 2010 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Mark Nash Reports:
For the most parts, an uneventful evening with the exception of the blustery winds that never let up, right up until darkness. At the close of my shift, the last male “Wade” was still visible on the nest box and his sister “Xuan” - (pronounced Soon) had disappeared into the darkened nest box.
Their falcon follies started later in the evening than usual with Wade running up and down the nest ledge flapping and charging his sister as he threatening to fly on more than a dozen occasions, even as darkness set in. Finally at 9:40pm he finally settled down and allowed me a few stress free moments
Finished the watch at 9:50pm when it was too dark to the nest ledge. Back into the building and one final check of the two boys “Craig and Joe” prior to their release back to the roof of the nest building. A final quick examination and a little water for both juveniles to assist in their re-hydration and it was back to the roof top of the nest building for their release. While I must admit, I was the only one that really needed the re-hydration as the hot humid past 14 hours in the streets had me feeling like a clammy old rag. The cool air conditioned environment where the two boys had been resting in their rescue carriers was far from uncomfortable! Oh my goodness, it was nice to finally get into some cool air!!
Utilization of the cover of darkness for their release made it much easier to get two birds back to the roof without causing them a panic flight at my presence during the release, and for the most parts all when well. Well at least for the birds.
I can’t say that everything went just exactly as I visioned it, as trying to release both birds at precisely the same time (while ensuring that both birds were removed from the rescue carriers exactly at the same time was easy), but the job got done.
(Funny how they fuss going into the rescue carriers in the first place, and fight like heck to stay in the rescue carriers, refusing to come out! After sustaining ripped and torn pants and numerous punctures to both of my legs, during this release, I can tell you that both birds have plenty of fight and lots of energy!
As I quickly departed the roof area and headed for the roof hatch to make my exit, both juveniles seemed very satisfied that they had been successful in “kicking my butt” (which they did), my final observation of them before closing the hatch had them standing side by side mantling and hissing at me like a couple of vipers with looks that could kill. I know that I won’t be on their Christmas card list this winter! I prey that we won’t meet again anytime too soon!
Stay tuned………..
Posted on June 20, 2010 8:30 am
