Niagara Falls

!!! A new resident female has been identified in Niagara falls, with pair bonding being observed. Sadly although, no nesting this year.

June 28, 2010 - Niagara Falls

Mark Nash Reports:

With a huge thank you to Connie and the great watchers in New York, it would appear that some of the mystery has been solved with regards to the peregrine activity in Niagara fall this season.
With many visits and lots of time logged in, we have a pretty good idea as to what’s going on.
Photos showing that there is a new resident female, banded with a Black 42 over a Red H, indicating that the new female is a 2009 bird, produced I Canton Ohio,,, named “Diamond“.
Her mate is un-banded. They have been pair bonding and observed in and out of the nest ledge over the past few weeks, but there has been no incubation or food transfers, clearly indicating that there is not real nesting activity. Some great photos are included with this report, with many thanks to our friends in New York state.
All of the peregrines attention ad interests is still with the “hole in the wall” as we say, at the old Ontario Power Generation facility I the gorge. The only viewing of the nest site is from US side of the gorge.
Stay tuned………….

Still In The Neighbourhood

May 21, 2010 - Niagara Falls

Bruce Massey Reports:

    Spent the Victoria Day weekend in Niagra Falls.  On Friday I arrived @ 0830 Hrs. and was down at Falls by Noon. That day Friday, I saw the Female briefly for about 30 Seconds near Clifton Hill area.

    On Saturday, I was able to get down first thing in the Morning, but had to get back to the Campground by 0930 Hrs due to the Rain.  I again got a brief 30 seconds of the Male flying up river towards the Horseshoe Falls, again in the Clifton Road area.  I attempted to head down in the Afternoon, but the rest of the day turned out to be a Washout. 

    On Sunday, I got skunked in the Morning, but in the Afternoon when I decided to check the FallsView Area (In the area of the New Casino) I lucked out.  I found both the Male & Female on the North West side of the New Hilton Tower.

    On  Monday, I again got Skunked, and left the Campground around 1030 Hrs. to go back to Toronto.

    In conclusion, what I saw I think confirms the other Posts, suggesting that there isn’t any nesting activity at this time.

!!! Adults still on territory, but are they nesting?

May 09, 2010 - Niagara Falls

CPF Postmaster Reports:

A big thank you to Rebecca for sending in these great shots of the two peregrines at the Niagara falls gorge that were taken on May 9th of this year. While the search continues to try and identify a possible nest site, (and to identify the birds themselves), it appears that the elusive pair are still very much around and have been quite active. Observation reports of the birds activity have been streaming in from both sides of the border in recent weeks, but the mystery continues with regards to any nesting activity and the birds identity. While both of the birds still remain unidentified at this point, we do have a partial band number and band colour of the female given Rebecca’s photo that indicates that the she dawns a Black over Red colour marker band having a lower alpha digit of H. The USFW band number appears to a coloured band instead of the typical silver coloured band. The photo of the male in flight that shows one of its legs, appears to be unbanded.
The mystery contines………..

!!! Looks like an empty nest!

April 09, 2010 - Niagara Falls

CPF Postmaster Reports:

Once again with a huge thank you to our friends at the New York DEC, we have received some great shots taken from the US side of the gorge of the old nest site at the decommissioned OPG generating station. It is quite obvious by the photos sent in to us that we have just received that were taken around the second week of April that the old nest site is void of any peregrine activity. Despite the various reports that been streaming in of peregrines being observed in the gorge again this year, it appears that they are not currently nesting at this nest site. With thanks to Roger and Connie for the photos and all of their hard work gathering observations. The search continues.

!!! There should be a hatch?

April 30, 2010 - Niagara Falls

CPF Postmaster Reports:

As best as we can guess from the dates and time lines based on the reports that we received from our good friends at the DEC out of Buffalo New York, there should have a hatch by now. While it was confirmed that the peregrines are in fact nesting at the decommissioned Ontario Power Station facility in the Niagara gorge, the small opening in the wall face where the peregrines have been nesting, makes it only visible from the US side, and it requires very strong magnification to see across the gorge to the wall face of the old OPG plant to see the nest opening. We can only hope that we get additional observation reports of food being taken into the nest by the adults that would confirm that there has been a hatch. The old OPG plant has long since been turned over to the Niagara Parks Commission who have yet to do anything with the old facility.

!!! Full time incubation.

April 05, 2010 - Niagara Falls

CPF Postmaster Reports:

Based on the best observation reports that we have received, it would appear the Niagara pair are involved in full time incubation activities as of March 24th at the old Ontario Power Generation in the Niagara Gorge (on the Canadian side). Nesting in the same place, it appears that the pair are currently incubating an undisclosed amount of eggs. If this is the case, and everything goes as planned, a hatch is expected some time during the week of April 26 to May 2nd.
Stay tuned…….

!!! Yankee located nesting in Buffalo NY at the University. 1st egg!!

March 26, 2010 - Niagara Falls

CPF Postmaster Reports:

We have received good news indeed from Connie at the DEC in Buffalo New York that an adult male peregrine has been identified by his Black 42 over Black Y. We have been able to confirm that the peregrine was produced in 2008 at Niagara Falls Canada in the old Ontario Power Generaton plant in the gorge at Niagara falls. Yankee wa he was named was actually named by Connie herself as she attended the banding that year of the Niagara Falls hatchlings. “Yankee” as he was named, was banded on June 10th / 2008 at approx. 22 days old, weighing 575 grams.
Attached is a good photo of Yankee and Connie’s report:
Here’s a photo of him sitting on his first egg. He is at the University of Buffalo, mated with a banded female “BB” — she was there last year, for her first time, with an unbanded male we named Smokey. They established a territory on the Mackay Tower at the UB Operations plant (this is really a smoke tower with a glorified and fancy exterior which provided lots of ledges. She established herself with Smokey in July 08…they maintained that territory all that summer and fall and in January 09, UB installed a nest box under DEC advisement. Smokey and BB raised their chicks, 3 males and 1 female, all successfully, and maintained the territory again, all through fall and winter. However, when UB installed the nest cam on Friday the 19th, we noticed the male was banded. Same Female, BB, but now a banded male. So, that is his story. You are looking at a recent picture of him snagged from the cam, on his first egg, which was laid yesterday the 25th. We don’t know what happened to SMokey.

!!! Niagara Fall Pefa’s did in fact winter over here. No migration!

January 19, 2010 - Niagara Falls

CPF Postmaster Reports:

With a big thank you to Verinica from Lowbanks Ontario, we have received her observation and photo of the Niagara Peregrines on territory. Photos taken Jan. 2010

I was staying at the Fallsview Casino last Tuesday, January 19th when I woke up in the morning and opened the curtains this is what I saw out the window. Sitting on the ledge of the Hotel on the 28th Floor was this Peregrine Falcon. I understand that your organization is interested in hearing about/receiving pictures of the sightings. I have forwarded them to you.

Veronica - Lowbanks, ON

Niagara Falls - Peregrines Active again on the Canadian Side, Nesting activity observed!!

March 24, 2010 - Niagara Falls

CPF Postmaster Reports:

With a huge thank you from Connie from the New York State Department of Conservation and one of her dedicated observers (John), we have received some great news about the Niagara peregrines. He has just received news from her watchers that there is definitely peregrine nesting activity at the old Ontario Hydro generation plant on the Canadian side of the gorge. The observation reports sent into Connie and later forwarded to the CPF reads:

“I just wanted to drop you an e-mail about today’s sighting. I saw the female peregrine in the old scrap site at the old Canadian power plant. She sat at the edge of the box for quite some time and later went inside and seemed to lay down or something and then flew off. The male was also seen on top of the power plant. Both birds were seen flying high above the buildings together getting real close at times. I’m getting a new camera body this week so ill be looking for these birds a bit more this year, I always manage something interesting with these birds”.
John

Fingers crossed that the pair will be successful in producing a new clutch of hatchlings again this year. Stay tuned………

!!! The Niagara Falls Peregrines have eluded us again this year!

July 04, 2009 - Niagara Falls

Mark Nash Reports:

We must apologize for the lack of updates and reports to the Niagara nest site pages, as we have had some challenges while working out the bugs in the new observation reporting system.  Throughout the late spring,  we have not been able to locate the nesting location of the Niagara Falls peregrines.  While we have received several reports of activity (two adults and one juvenile) having been observed flying in and around of the Niagara gorge, the eyrie was never found this year.

While we don’t know why the adults did not return to the nest site at the old OPG facility located in the gorge area, it is apparent that a pair did in fact produce again this year - (at least one hatchling) somewhere in the immediate area, given the observation reports that we have received over the past weeks.

In addition to the CPF, both the New York DEC and the OMNR have been in search for an active eyrie  throughout the spring in an effort to locate a nest site, but sadly, the adult pair have not made the search an easy one, as they have been done a great job in concealing their nest site this year.

Several mysteries still remain as to why the pair of last year did not return to the previous nest site where they were so successful over the past two years, and where did they set up house this year?  Any information that can help us verify the nest site is most welcomed.