June 20, 2011 - Port Colborne - ADM Mill
Doug Garbutt Reports:
The last time I was able to confirm that we still had 2 young OK after their fledges was Saturday night. Today I was able to confirm that at 11:15 am there were 2 active young peregrines here. Turns out Max made his way all the way up to the top of the 12 floor roof! You can’t get any higher than that here at our facility. When I left tonight he was actually back in the nest box. That was at dusk & he was crashed out on the ledge. I’m sure he is spending the night there. Olivia likes the steel beams to roost on, as do the adults. Our fingers are crossed that progress continues.
Posted on June 20, 2011 10:05 pm
- Port Colborne - ADM Mill
Doug Garbutt Reports:
After days of anticipation & thinking geewiz this guy is good to go, Max took the big jump at precisely 2:25 pm today. His 1st flight took him around the tower on the 12th floor where the nest box is. He lost altitude curving around to the 8th floor roof where he landed. It’s a good spot as there’s lots of room to practice flying without too many hazards. It’s the same roof Olivia landed on after her 1st flight yesterday. She already seems like a pro flyer & is trying to show Max the ropes. All the while the young ones were having fun & practicing on the roof, Mom was watching from above. It’s hard to keep track of what is happening but when I left late today Olivia & the 2 adults were accounted for. I’m sure Max found a safe spot to spend the night. I’ll check tomorrow.
Posted on June 18, 2011 10:32 pm
June 17, 2011 - Port Colborne - ADM Mill
Doug Garbutt Reports:
This morning when I arrived at work at 6:50 am there was only 1 young one in the box. Olivia at 43 days of age decided to take the big jump. She may have left late yesterday or early this morning. During my lunch break I took the opportunity to try and locate her. I was able to do so. Camera in hand, I managed to get a few photos of the new “free of the nest box” falcon. She appears to be able to get around pretty good as she 1st landed on the roof then flew up to a higher dust filter then around to the other side of our facility landing on a beam high up at the 10th floor level of our grain elevator. These are baby steps but she did very well on her maiden flight. We always worry about them ending up in the Welland Canal. I should mention that when she was on the roof that (like at the Burlington site), Rocky racoon was spotted. Perhaps that is what inspired Olivia to move to the other side of the building. Her brother Max is still stuck in the box. He looks ready to go and we think tomorrow will be his turn. Mom & Dad are not feeding him much.
Posted on June 17, 2011 5:37 pm
June 15, 2011 - Port Colborne - ADM Mill
Doug Garbutt Reports:
I’m surprised these young didn’t fledge today. They are in such good shape & so frisky that I thought they would have tried. Lots of flapping, taunting each other also grooming until they have almost no downy feathers anywhere. It was a perfect day weatherwise for an attempt but neither of them took the opportunity. Perhaps they will try tommorrow (in the rain). I’ll keep you posted!
Posted on June 15, 2011 8:19 pm
June 11, 2011 - Port Colborne - ADM Mill
Doug Garbutt Reports:
It seems that if only the young ones here could get rid of those pesky white downy feathers, they would take the big  jump. They don’t have many left and they’re quickly shedding them. When they flap their wings like crazy in the box, it looks like a snow storm. The downy feathers just fly in the air. It will be very soon (perhaps tomorrow) when they get the guts to go. Trouble here is that there nothing but a whole lot of water 200 feet below their box. If they can’t fly, they will have to swim. We all know that won’t happen especially with 200 seagulls trying to drown the falcon who can’t swim! I’ll let you know when they do get the nerve.
Posted on June 11, 2011 7:47 pm
June 07, 2011 - Port Colborne - ADM Mill
Doug Garbutt Reports:
Just wanted to let everyone know that everything is all good here (so far). The 2 eyases are losing lots of their white down, their feathers have quickly appeared & we are expect them fledge soon, perhaps this weekend! Mom & Dad have been supplying plenty of food for them. Olivia & Max have been exercising their wings, preening and getting very brave by venturing out of the safety of the nest box to the ledge outside. They have been stumbling around on it or just laying down looking over the edge down to the to the Welland Canal so very far below. Apparently they have no fear of heights even at this young age. We have had some very bad weather here the last week (high winds) & I’m sure that we would have lost both these young falcons had it not been for the move from the beam to the box. They are not out of the woods yet but at least they still have a chance.
Posted on June 7, 2011 8:00 pm
May 29, 2011 - Port Colborne - ADM Mill
Doug Garbutt Reports:
After last weeks transfer of the young ones from the beam to the nest box, Anne Yagi, Mark Nash & Corrine were back to band the eyases. The small entourage were here at 10 am. Rolf Numsen promptly signed them in and equipped them with the necessary saftey ppe required. After a nice meet & greet with the plant manager Frank Jantz they made their way up to the 12th floor with all gear in hand. It was 10:30 when they reached the top. We are lucky here to have a drop down door in front of the nest box. With a camera in the box & a monitor in our lunch room we were able to know when to drop the door without trapping an adult in the box or dropping it on a young one (via walkie talkie). After the door closed, Mom & Dad were a little upset to say the least. Corrine extracted the young from the box and with Anne’s expertise the young’s sex & age were determined. The 1st was a male weighing in at 556 gms. His band is 50/Y, we named him Max. The 2nd turned out to be a female weighing in at 838 gms. we named her Olivia. Anne & Corrine said both appear to be in good health. By 11:15 the birds were back in their box. Shortly after, Mom was back too. A big thanks to the MNR, CPF & ADM management for helping these rare birds have a chance at survival. Some pics of the day are included.
Posted on May 29, 2011 10:13 pm
May 26, 2011 - Port Colborne - ADM Mill
Doug Garbutt Reports:
It’s only been 5 days since the young ones here were moved from the beam to the nest box. I think it’s probably a good thing Mark decided to move them when he did because these young falcons are now very mobile, they are stumbling all over the nest box. Had they still been on the beam, one or both might have met their fate by now. It is a treat to watch Mom feeding the young ones with the food that Dad proficiently supplies. We are thrilled to watch as these falcons have had no luck the last 2 years producing young. Banding is scheduled for this Saturday.
Posted on May 26, 2011 9:01 pm
May 23, 2011 - Port Colborne - ADM Mill
Doug Garbutt Reports:
After the falcons here lost a single egg Mar.24/11, they decided to lay 2 eggs on a narrow beam below their nest box. The beam would allow no chance of a successful fledge. The year before our nest box was installed we lost 3 healthy chicks @ 3 weeks of age. They fell off the same beam where this year’s resident falcons laid their 2 eggs. On May 05/11 the 1st egg hatched, the 2nd 2 days later. This weekend the MNR & CPF transferred the 2 hatchlings to the safer nest box. The adults were very upset at the ordeal but soon found the young ones & have nicely settled into their new condo with dad supplying plenty of grub for the family. The chicks were not quite old enough to band so Anne will be back again next week to do so. Many thanks to Anne, Mark & Tracy for giving the young ones a shot at survival. Also for some great shots of the day (included).
Posted on May 23, 2011 2:29 pm
March 24, 2011 - Port Colborne - ADM Mill
Doug Garbutt Reports:
On our frigid Wednesday morning this week I arrived at work bright & early to find the resident female warming a single egg amidst the snow banks surrounding her. She stayed on it the entire day. At 9am today (Thursday) the egg was intact & the adult was treating it as normal, incubating & turning it. At 10am I checked the monitor & low & behold both the egg & mother were nowhere to be seen! What the heck? I have no idea if she broke & ate the egg or if something else happened. There is no human or animal access to the box (other than birds). She has since been in & out of the scrape but has not laid another egg yet.
Posted on March 24, 2011 7:52 pm
