ON / Etobicoke - Bloor & Islington / 2008-21

[carly]

Still no word.  Mathew saw what he thinks may be Jack looking around the old ledge but other than that all is quiet.  He's gotten permission to go onto an adjoining balcony and is going to see if TR Mom is there and if there is a hatch and they should have one by now - they were about 2 days behind us.

No sign of Jack here and mom is sitting tight on the box.  I saw her head up and she was looking around a bit and heard a call but no one has come in.  I know she will have a cache of food but I wonder how big the cache would be given he's supplying two sites?  It was minus 4 here this morning and it's still quite brisk out there.  Hopefully she can zip to the cache and then just keep some food next to her which I'm sure she would as I've seen her tuck food in the corner before for the wee ones.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Jack is wounded in the chest, he is still flying though.  Sorry to keep posting but it's the only thing tht is keeping me from crackin up right now. 

The wound may not be bad - one year Zeus (I think) had a big dark red (dried blood) spot on his breat that was probably from some tussle or another.  It looked much worse than it must have been - or it might just have been dried blood from a meal (but it seemed kind of high).  He's got more than one nest to "protect" in his mind, so he may not push his luck if he's injured ... particularly if Milton is only interested in one of Jack's two sites rather than the whole territory including both sites ...

And do keep us informed Carly!  One can almost never post too much information about these kinds of events ... and it helps to have a record to go back and check ...

[carly]

All is quiet at both sites now, no signs of any falcons anywhere..so we wait.

[carly]

Jack is wounded in the chest, he is still flying though.  Sorry to keep posting but it's the only thing tht is keeping me from crackin up right now. 

[carly]

oH CRAP!!

Today it appears Milton is trying to take back his territory, Jack is defending.
730AM I watched what I believe to be Jack trying to chase what I will guess was Milton off site. I recognize Jack's unique flapping, and will review photos to confirm who was who.

More observations to follow, but the bottom line is these guys are going to have to work it out.

[carly]

I received a report last night at 6:30 pm that 3 falcons were seen fighting at TR Site at approximately 6 pm.  By the time someone went out to check no falcons were in sight.

This morning no sign of Jack so far, I will keep watching when I can!

[carly]

Very cold morning here so my visit was only an hour today and it's Mom's day too!  Mathew emailed this morning to say that Jack was there giving TR Mom a break and then was seen heading to our site.

I arrived 10:30 am and Jack was there and mom in the nest box.  I must have just missed a meal as there were rather errr..fresh and gruesome looking leftovers on the ground.  Watched for an hour but not much action, Jack did fly out after some pigeons but other than that he was south facing and quite relaxed.

I mention 'south facing' because our nest box faces south which means he can't see his other site from that ledge.  Prior to this past week, he usually perched on top of the building so he could keep an eye on both at the same time but now with chicks here - he's right on the ledge.  That explains why yesterday while I was watching him - Milton was being photographed in plain view at the other site. 

[bcbird]

Let's hope the males distribute nicely.
Such drama you have there, Carly.

[carly]

Mathew has a photo up of Milton on his old ledge this morning at TR site.  He says he can't see any falcons now but hears mom on the ledge, she is expected to have a hatch as early as today.

Just waiting on the phone to ring now if Jack and Milton meet up  

[carly]

Nuts...I just escaped the storm and came home thinking I had left Jack and Mom safely at the site.  I jsut got an email from Mathew and TR Male has just arrived back home on site...  

[carly]

Toronto Residential Male was released today...great timing....let's hope he doesn't head straight home and fight Jack for his territory back!!

http://www.asic.ca/peregrinefalcons/

[carly]

I just got home after standing in the pouring rain and cold.  Jack was on the cam guarding mom and the box when I left.  I will go out tomorrow and see what I can see. 

[Alison]

You're right, Carly, it seems there is a hatch!

From the site:

!!!We have a hatch?!
May 07, 2010 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre

Kathy Reports:

11:40 am and observed female flying around and male was in the nestbox quite visible.  Female came in with food a minute later and they switched places and could see her head bobbing up and down, she did not lay down but looking more like she was giving food to someone.  It was a quick feed and she then went to drop off leftovers to one of their cache locations which I clearly saw.  She went straight back to the nest box and was fussing about and then alarm calling started from the nestbox.  Female immediately went to roof ledge and touched beaks with male as he took off southward.  She then went back into the nestbox but I could seeing her watching Jack, he headed towards some vultures and they took changed course.  He returned to the ledge and to his perch.  All is quiet for now.

[carly]

I think we have had a hatch here today or first time I've seen food go in anyway!  Saw food go directly to the nestbox at 11:40ish am today and mom's head going up and down a bit.  It was a brief feed and saw her go and stash the leftovers.  Jack has been onsite all day that I have seen and very territorial, he's sticking right to the ledge with the nest.

It's currently turned cold and pouring rain.  I will stick it out a bit more to see what I can see and then head home.

[carly]

Well I know it's Angel up on the ledge now for sure.  Just saw her leave the nestbox..kacking her brains out with that smokey voice of hers.  I look down the road and three turkey vultures are in the air.  She hit 2 of them quite hard and the third one just flew for his life.  Boy was she upset! 

Not sure what is going on here otherwise.  Thought we were close to a hatch given weekend behaviour but now it's all quiet again and honestly I'm more confused than ever.  Just goes to show you how much you rely on the cams when you don't have them.  Twice I've seen Jack here the past two days but not consistently like Friday through Sunday.  Both times he came out of the nestbox and Angel was still in there, was he checking for chicks, did he bring food in?  Usually he just lands on the ledge and she jumps out and takes her break!?!  Never saw food go in or out by either of them except for on Saturday the one time.  I know most females don't leave leftovers in the nestbox but in the past I've seen Angel keep food in the corner of the box when the chicks first hatch so she can feed them when they get hungry.

Going to give it a few more days and then see if we can go up on the roof again to check.