Toronto - Don Mills

Shift Change caught on camera.

April 30, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills

CPF Postmaster Reports:

April 30th - 2012
Caught another shift change in Don Mills, with Kendal coming in to spell off Quest.
Meg Langley Grainger

!!! Quest Removes Egg From Nest

April 17, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills

Frank Butson Reports:

From Kat at Harlequin: April 17th  A couple of Harlequin folks saw Quest eliminate an egg yesterday. She rolled it out of the nestbox.  The egg was recovered and it was obvious it wasn’t viable. It will be turned over to the Ministry of Natural Resources for testing. There are now 3 eggs remaining.

!!! 4 eggs and all looks well!!

April 08, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills

CPF Postmaster Reports:

April 8th - 2012
Good evening-

I just caught a nice hand-off at the scrape. Kendal wasn’t leaving until Quest entered the box-then he beat wings!

Eileen

Quest and Kendal Have 4th Egg

April 08, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills

Frank Butson Reports:

On April 7th, Quest laid her 4th egg. Both she and Kendal have been seen incubating, which is typical of Peregrine Falcons. The pair will incubate for about a month, so watch for a 2nd week of May hatch.

Quest and Kendal In The News

April 05, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills

Frank Butson Reports:

Harlequin lovebirds Quest and Kendal are back and for the past several weeks have been mating across from the world’s largest producer of romance novels. As of Thursday, Quest had laid 3 eggs. Last May, the rare peregrine falcons had a baby - named Harlequin.

JAYME POISSON/TORONTO STAR

Jayme Poisson

It hasn’t all been up for Quest and Kendal, the pair of rare peregrine falcons who fell in love last spring directly across from the headquarters of Harlequin Enterprises, the largest producer of romance novels on the planet.

There were those rather reckless parenting techniques. Last April, much to the horror of avid falcon watchers, first-time mom Quest nudged one of her three eggs off the fifth-storey concrete ledge the pair had shacked up on. Another egg simply vanished, leaving many to muse that she ate it, knowing instinctively it wasn’t viable.

Only one hatchling survived the terrifying incubation period. A furry ball fittingly named Harlequin (Harlie for short) was born in May.

Fast forward to late fall. Kendal, 3, a local boy born across from the King Edward hotel, took off from his North York abode for migrating season. Soon after that, a new, younger, male peregrine from downtown named Chester came around, “making goo-goo eyes” at Quest, 4.

The way Mark Nash of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation tells it, Quest, a pretty American from Rochester, N.Y., didn’t seem too pleased with the “interloper,” but tolerated his presence because “he’s the opposite sex and you never know.”

The bird earned himself the nickname “Chester the molester.”

But peregrine falcons, lightning fast and regal-looking with black-helmeted heads and hooked beaks, tend to mate for life. And, on March 19, Kendal returned to his haunt near Don Mills Rd. and Highway 401, much to the delight of Harlequin staff.

For Nash, who’s been studying the threatened birds of prey for 17 years, it’s not just biology, but also a matter of the heart. “There’s a certain amount of interest between the two that goes beyond instinctual relationships,” he said.

And with a few death-defying nose dives, Kendal chased Chester away.

“A winter vacation” is what Nash called the pair’s time apart, adding Kendal probably stayed locally because he wouldn’t have had the time to migrate all the way to South America and back.

For the past few weeks, the lovebirds have been copulating like newlyweds. And, as of Thursday, there were three speckled burnt-orange eggs. Falcon enthusiasts, of which there are many across the globe, have been keeping tabs on the couple via a camera that streams a live feed from their nest.

“We can expect hatchlings about a month from now and the fun will really begin!” said Harlequin CEO Donna Hayes, who was the first person to spot the couple from her office window last year. An avid birder since childhood, Hayes has binoculars and a telescope set up beside her desk.

The birds certainly appear to have their act together this time around.

“She was pretty green,” Nash said of Quest’s first foray into motherhood.

For one, Quest and Kendal have a new pad — a custom-made wooden home filled with pea-sized round gravel. It’s a marked improvement from the barren, windswept ledge.

On Thursday, Quest “brooded” her eggs by huddling them close to a bald patch on her belly, where it’s warmest. And Kendal, who last year often evoked descriptors like “clueless,” brought his partner a fresh meal and took over egg-warming duties at lunch.

Thirty years ago, peregrine falcons came close to extinction, largely because of the use of DDT and other chemicals. Thanks to human intervention, the birds have been making a comeback, especially in urban centres.

As for baby Harlie, now almost 1 year old, well, she was spotted flying around the area just a few months ago. Young peregrines, however, are hardwired to leave their home and wander for a year or two before finding their own mate to make a home with, said Nash, adding that if the youngsters don’t go, their parents will “encourage” them to move on.

It’s not far off from us humans.

“No more free laundry and free food,” said Nash.

!!! And Eggie Makes 3

April 05, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills

Frank Butson Reports:

Quest and Kendal have had their 3rd egg yesterday. Quest is remarkably consistant with this 3rd egg coming at around 7pm again.  Ann and Donna were taking photos just before then.  Ann sent the photos and a short report.

Ann Brokelman Reports:

I arrived at 4:30pm. Both Quest and Kendal were flying around together.  At 4:45pm we spotted a Redtailed Hawk in the area above the nest building. Quest and Kendal met this perceived threat attacking with one on either side of the hawk. The Redtail left the area quickly! Both parents were very  alert and active.  At 6pm both Quest and Kendal were at the nestbox.

!!! 2nd Egg!!

April 02, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills

CPF Postmaster Reports:

April 2- 2012 - 7PM
She’s a little bit earlier than I would have expected, but Quest laid her second egg! I first spotted it a little after 7 this evening-just about 48 hours on the dot from #1!

Eileen

!!! Quest And Kendal Have An Egg

March 31, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills

Frank Butson Reports:

Quest and Kendal have produced their first egg of the nesting season. Congratulations to Quest, Kendal, her Duncan Mills Rd hosts and Auntie Donna. Thanks to Kathy for the heads up that there was an egg! We eggcitedly await more!

!!! Both adults in and out of the nest box! Love is in the air!!!

March 24, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills

CPF Postmaster Reports:

Saturday March 24th - 2012
This morning spells some good new for Quest and Kendal, as Bruce is making the rounds gathering observations at the Don Mills nest site. Now confirmed by all that it is Quest and Kendal, they were both observed going in and out of the nest box both today (and all this week), with lots of love in the air!

Mating was observed between the pair on numerous occasions throughout the week and we expect that egg production is very close indeed!

Hopefully we will see some addition postings and pictures from the many folks that are observing the two love-birds so we can give you some great shots that they have been seeing.
Stay tuned………..

Kendal Identified at Duncan Mills with Quest

March 19, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills

Tracy Simpson Reports:

Ann Brokelman and Bruce Massey were onsite at Duncan Mill Road checking up on Quest and the adult male that arrived on Friday.  The male was positively identified by his solid black 33/Y recovery band as Kendal and he was very active both inside the nest box and on the surrounding ledges with Quest.  Both adults were seen courting, nest scrape building and mating throughout the day as the warm weather encouraged nesting to begin.  We look forward to this new season with Quest and Kendal in their new CPF nest box!!