AB / Red Deer - Capri Centre - 2009-11

[bev.]

I will ask Gord about Capri. I do not think the naturalists will do anything here. this is where a cam would be useful

the weather was too bad when we were coming home on long weekend to stop and check for falcons

[The Peregrine Chick]

2011 NESTING SEASON

Time to see who's coming home to Red Deer this year and if we will finally get a webcam here!

[bev.]

there are eggs and there should be chicks by now. Everything is proceeding nicely.

[peaches123]

I will ask what I can and cannot tell you.

I'm intrigued by your words, bev. Is the Capri nest hush hush ? And is this due to the media being on the roof several times last year ?

[bev.]

They are nesting and so far so good.

The other nest is more up front now becasue ti has a cam, but I am sure there will be news on this one. I will ask what I can and cannot tell you.

[ballywing]

Can't find anything on this nest for this year yet - no cam so although there are peregrines here, I guess nobody knows what's going on 

[bev.]

there is an active nest  there. On our way to the mountains we stopped there and the other nest site in Red Deer. Beautiful falcons.
the sun was in our eyes so could not get good shots but  I will be that way again in a few weeks and try and get some shots for you.

It is on the back of the hotel so hopefully they f ledge there. I am going to e-mail the regroup in charge of the other site and see if they are going to watch that site also at fledging. this site needs it.

[ballywing]

I haven't found anything yet that says there's an active nest here this year - will keep checking

[bev.]

They placed a nestbox there after the loss of the chicks. The one remaining chick was warmed up and made sure it was O.K. and then they placed a chick from the Misrecordia nestbox in Edmonton there. they had 4  at that site and Gord thought one less mouth to feed would be good for the pair in Edmonton.

One chick came to the ground but was put back up and as far as Gord knows they fledged successfully.

I do not know if the owner is open to a cam and so maybe that is why they went with the other site.

And Red deer does not seem to be  into the falcons but maybe they will get educated with the cam on the other site

I will be going down a few times to see them though Just 1.5 hours away.

[The Peregrine Chick]

A little more cleaning up and sorry, not the first time the birds have nested there according to the local biologists - rather they think its the fourth time.  Okay, my question is, exactly how does one miss such large birds making that much racket around a hotel, its not like there aren't alot of folks in and out of the building every day of the year .... and no, I'm not being critical of the folks in Red Deer or the Capri Centre, its just something that ALWAYS amazes me! 

[The Peregrine Chick]

2010 NESTING SEASON

Last year was the first year a pair has nested at the Capri Centre Hotel in Red Deer and though they lost chicks due to exposure the one they did raise and the Edmonton chick they fostered did well.  Hopefully the pair will be back again to try again.  The Hotel was talking about installing a nestbox at this site but I haven't heard anything about that ... there could be one from now or not.  Nor have I heard anything about putting a webcam at this site so we will probably just have to wait until the birds return to find out what they are returning to!

[bev.]

This is great. I am glad they did well. You can see I am just catching up on all the news

[Alison]

An update on the falcon family at the Capri Hotel in Red Deer from the Red Deer Advocate yesterday:

Falcons thriving atop city hotel
Red Deer Advocate - 20 August 2009

A family of four peregrine falcons seem to love their stay at one of Red Deer’s biggest hotels. The parents and two chicks have made a temporary home on the rooftop of the Capri Centre, which suits the hotel general manager just fine. When Gil Vallee gets the chance to step away from his desk, he heads outdoors to see what the peregrines are doing 14 storeys up. He’s not disappointed.

The parents are teaching their young to hunt prey “very aggressively.” Vallee has even seen the parents catch some kind of bird and then drop it, while a young one swoops down to grab it.

“They perch on the side of the building throughout the day,” Vallee said. “It’s really great watching, when the (chicks) were so young and helpless, to being very graceful and beautiful birds.”

Alberta Fish and Wildlife and hotel staff initially had concerns about how the family would fare. Four out of five chicks born on top of the hotel died due to exposure from wind and rain. The remaining one was barely surviving, so Red Deer wildlife biologist Dave Prescott gave it some raw chicken.

A male chick from Edmonton was brought to the roof in mid July. A three-sided plywood box was added to help protect the two youngsters from the cold. Since then, no one has returned to the roof so that the chicks could feel safe as they learned to fly. Vallee understands the birds will fly the coop towards the end of August or early September. Peregrine falcons migrate south, with some heading as far away as Argentina. Wherever this foursome travels, Vallee said he’d hold out a ‘Welcome’ sign upon any of their return.

“They took care of my pigeon problem,” he said, laughing.

Fish and Wildlife officials believe this is the fourth time that the falcons have chosen the Capri Centre for their high nesting spot. Another three peregrine falcons are believed to be living on top of the Telus tower, on the north side or Red Deer, where a manmade nesting box was set up.

Alberta has developed a recovery program for the peregrine falcon, which is legally a threatened species in Alberta. The peregrine can reach speeds over 322 km/h in a dive, making it the fastest animal in the world.

To view the original including photos ... http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/news/local/Falcons_thriving_atop_hotel

Photo by Jeff Stokoe.

[birdcamfan]

Thanks for following up on this story.

[Alison]

Thank you for the additional information, Bev. I hope the two chicks will continue to do well, and I'm glad that a nest box has been installed for next year.