Radisson - 2009 / Trey & Princess

[The Friesens]

That makes sense. But don't they have the same risks from this lower ledge on the east?

[The Peregrine Chick]

Sorry TF, missed that question. 

We used to have an east side nestbox but we had high fledgling mortality from it - the chicks would take their first flights and end up hitting the buildings or dropping into traffic at Portage and Main.  Keep in mind that it takes a couple of weeks befor the chicks are half-way decent flyers - the first week or so they are just neat looking gliders, no up capability and way too much down potential.  So we removed the east side box back in the 1990s.  It was located where the spycam is now.  With the westside box, the chicks' first flights end up west of the building where there are buildings with big roofs - the MTS Centre (as did the old Eaton's Building), Portage Place, the Convention Centre and The Bay .  Also, the majority of the buildings to the west than to the east, so the chicks have more chances to stay above the traffic and not get caught in the "canyons" formed by the taller buildings to the east.  Doesn't mean they don't end up in traffic from the east, just way less often and with a fraction of the injures (serious and otherwise) and deaths.

[The Friesens]

It seems like every corner of the sandbox could be taken over.

Tracy,

Did you get to consider my idea of building a nest box on the east side directly across from the west one? Does it have the same access that you could just walk across the east to west nest? The nests would be at exactly the same height for them.

[The Peregrine Chick]

As long as the lunacy is confined to that corner of the Sandbox, we are probably safe ... for the moment at least! 

[ballywing]

Well TPC - as you can tell from the 'Waiting takes its toll' thread -  P&T had better get down to the business of nesting and egg laying soon , as the Phanatics are planning all sorts of shenanigans & the conversations are getting loonier every day as we patiently (?) wait and wait and wait some more  

[The Peregrine Chick]

Larry was working on the camera on Friday with our man from CBC but they were running into technical difficulties getting the CBC networks software to talk to our camera/server hardware.  The path to webcam heaven is never smooth, but we are working on it and we still have lots of time since the birds haven't even nested yet. 

Speaking of which, with the webcam work going on, I don't have access to the spycam so I will be making more "runs" to the Hotel than I am wont to do (that's one of the wonderful management advantages to having cameras!!).  Dennis and I went down on Saturday and all was quiet with only one bird around - it looked like Trey and he was tucked up against the wall on the nestledge - probably to stay out of the rain & colder temperatures.  Dennis took some photos of the ledge so we could confirm that nothing brown and elliptical was there.  There wasn't.  The nestbox still has its lovely nestscrape and there were some under-feathers (the fuzzy white feathers under their flight feathers - insulating feathers if you like) were stuck to the inside wall near the camera - don't recall seeing them there last time which could be another encouraging sign.

Still very, very quiet around the Hotel, so we will just have to wait on Trey and Princess.  I think I mentionned this before, but we had about a week of very quiet times before laying began last year, hopefully its the same here and we will see eggs soon ....

[Eye-spy]

If I were P or T, I would have been hiding today too !  I spent about an hour and a bit on the roof today, and HOLY SNAP, is it cold up there !!!!!!!!  I wouldn't leave an egg up there for love nor money !  ( well, maybe love, for the right person,  SWM seeks SWF for staying warm and dinner out, message eye-spy) For the whole time I was out there, I heard not a single peep or squeek, nor did I see a single falcon.  I did see a seagull or two fly over, which is either a seagull drinking game based on the usual residents, or an indication of the coast being clear, so to speak.  But as Tracy said, they did go away for a couple days before laying last year.  Maybe one final trip to Menards before the kids come....or may Nest, Bath, and Beyond.....


From the Peregrine Chick - Eye-spy's post launched a wee detour which can now be found in the "And the waiting takes its toll" thread ...

[allikat]

I promise to not yell, but I'll say it with love 

[Pam]

Glad to hear there may have been a reason for hanging about the ledge today!  Still there when I left at 5:30.....

[bccs]

Hey Allicat, you'd beter stop yelling, it's making the disturbed in the area even more restless. And I have to walk through all of this without the safety of a vehicle ::
Or when you decide to yell, let me know and I'll stand on the treet and yell back at you - bet I fit right in and they won't ask me for money!!!

[allikat]

She better not!
I'm going to yell out to them when I go through downtown tomorrow!  I've been looked at like I'm nuts yelling out of my car to "NEST ON THE WEST" so may as well yell it out again and add, "DON'T YOU DARE LAY THOSE EGGS ON THAT LEDGE MISSY"   

[ballywing]

Ack, I hope the work is done fast, before P decides to lay those eggs! 

[allikat]

On my way home today, I saw Princess on the nestledge!  Let's hope they were hangin' out on that side because of the work being done. 

"NEST ON THE WEST"

[The Peregrine Chick]

She may have been on the ledge rather than the nestbox because of some work on the roof of the building today - including nestcam tests.  At the moment we are trying to get the nestbox cameras to talk to the CBC site along our Shaw connection but there have been a couple of glitches - big surprise.  At the moment, I don't have access to the spycam as we need to leave the nestbox cams "on" for testing.  I will however be going past the Hotel over the weekend and will check the ledge and the nestbox to see what the "kids" have been up to.  Copulation is still good, they do that until the third egg is laid typically.

'Fraid I couldn't go down today, was out of the City on a business trip ...
(and yes, Pam, I got your page, but not until it was too late to call you I'm afraid!)

Considering how much time the birds have not spent on the east side, in comparison with last year, I would be surprised if they chose the ledge this year.  But I will never say never with these birds.

Will let you all know what I do or don't find tomorrow and Sunday ....

[Liz]

and P sat on her corner of the Sterling (having a smoke, according to one of the viewers)....

Too funny!