AB / Red Deer - Telus Tower - 2010-13

[kittenface]

ljames ay BCAW got the first egg

[Kinderchick]

Great photos, Alison!

[Alison]

Caught someone at home in the nest box:

 

[Alison]

Another article on the Red Deer pair:

Falcon camera goes live

Let’s just hope celebrity doesn’t go to its feathery head. A peregrine falcon — Red Deer’s newest TV star — has been spending its time preening and primping and otherwise playing to the camera in its perch atop the Telus tower in Highland Green. A live video feed has been set up to put viewers right into the falcon’s nest box. A link to the video has been set up on the Advocate home page, reddeeradvocate.com.  So far, the falcon cam seems to be creating a steady following. Tuesday afternoon there were more than a dozen people watching the falcon do its thing at any one time. About 1,357 people had checked the bird out by mid-afternoon Tuesday.

“We are ecstatic,” said Red Deer River Naturalists treasurer Bill Heinsen. The project is a joint effort of the naturalist group, Telus and Alberta Fish and Game.

A Telus crew installed the camera on the 111-metre tower on Hermary Street last month.  But it has been a “trying process,” said Heinsen. “Nothing has absolutely not worked. There has been some major tweaking that had to be done along the way just to get the thing running.” All the glitches were worked out by Saturday and the first images were available online.

Naturalists secretary Judy Boyd said Telus has helped out a lot. Its technicians went up the tower a second time after installing the camera to do some work on the power supply and they also checked the camera’s focus. The naturalist group picked up the $700 cost of the webcam and other equipment and Telus did the installation and will pay for the power. Alberta Fish and Wildlife pitched in by providing a new and improved nest box with bars designed to keep owls and ravens out. The old box was placed about 10 years ago.

It’s anticipated the falcon will lay her eggs in early to mid-May, with babies hatching in mid- to late June. The babies will begin to fly in late July to early August.  Boyd said a falcon society from Ontario has asked for a link for their website so soon the falcon’s fame could spread.

Peregrine falcons are considered a threatened species in Alberta, where a recovery program is in place. These large falcons migrate south, with some heading as far away as Argentina.  Two nesting pairs exist in Red Deer — one on the Telus tower, the other on top of the 14-storey Capri Hotel and Convention Centre on Gaetz Avenue. Several other pairs have homes in high places around Alberta.  For more information on the naturalist group and the falcon family, visit the Red Deer River Naturalists website at www.rdrn.fanweb.ca.

source:  http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/news/local/Camera_goes_live_92307259.html

[Elaine L]

A falcon in the nestbox right now, having a look around at the lodgings.  Can't tell if it is male or female, and cannot see the band.

[Alison]

No-one in the nest box at the moment. There was a piece on the news this morning about this pair, and at least one of them was apparently in the box then.

They were referred to on the news as Perry and her mate Windsong. Windsong is banded, but the bands have not been read yet, and they are not sure if Perry has bands.

[Elaine L]

All I got was a tail.  Can't tell much by that, but I expect we will see more of him/her soon.

[bev.]

did not catch anyone home

[kittenface]

Camera is live

[bev.]

I watched cams and Edmonton nest for a bit but that was the first year I followed so clsoe.  I still get tears when I think of them. it was glorious

[bcbird]

Thanks for reminding us about Hope's beginnings, Bev.  That was a fabulous summer, wasn't it, watching Cassie and Hope fledge and fly!

[bev.]

did I mention, that this is where our HOpe came from 2 years ago in Edmonton. she went to the  ground at Telus site and they could see no sign of adults so they brought it here. Remember  the fond moments.

[bev.]

maybe this group will monitor the nestbox on the Capri also. I may e-mail them and see.

[carly]

2010 NESTING SEASON

Webcam offers eye on peregrines

Birdwatchers can see peregrine falcons up close in Red Deer when a stationary webcam is installed near the top of the Telus radio tower today.  A crew from the telecommunications company planned to situate the camera at around 8:30 a.m. on the tower on Highland Green’s Hermary Street.  The footage will be streamed live to the Red Deer River Naturalists’ website at www.rdrn.fanweb.ca.

Judy Boyd, spokeswoman for the river naturalists’ group, is curious about what she may see happen on the perch 111 metres off the ground.  “Excitement is an understatement — I am totally stoked,” said the avid birdwatcher on Monday. The webcam will allow for research and public education, she added.

Alberta has developed a recovery program for the peregrine falcon, which is legally a threatened species in Alberta. These large falcons migrate south, with some heading as far away as Argentina.  The peregrine can reach speeds over 322 km/h in a dive, making it the fastest animal in the world.  Two nesting pairs exist in Red Deer — one on the Telus tower, the other on top of the 14-storey Capri Hotel and Convention Centre on Gaetz Avenue. Several other pairs have homes in high places around Alberta.

Boyd said there are reports of peregrine falcons being back in Red Deer, but she hasn’t seen any herself.  “They’re not yet in their territory — not in the box yet,” she said.

The Red Deer River Naturalists invested in the webcam while Telus provided the manpower for installation and it will further pay for the power source. Alberta Fish and Wildlife invested in a new and improved nest box — one that will keep owls and ravens out.  The old one was placed about 10 years ago. The camera will show the entire inside of the box so it won’t matter which corner of the box the pregnant peregrine decides to use for laying her eggs. The view of the peregrines will only be available when there is natural light.  It’s anticipated the eggs will be laid in early to mid-May, with babies hatching in mid- to late June. The babies will begin to fly in late July to early August.

[carly]

Red Deer Telus Tower
Red Deer, Alberta

webcam link: www.rdrn.ca/programs/bird-focus-group/peregrine-falcon-webcam/

Red Deer River Naturalists (RDRN) website: www.rdrn.ca

Resident Pairs & Offspring

• 2014 - ?
• 2013 - ?
• 2012 - ?
• 2011 - neither adult identified - 5 eggs laid but all proved infertile; 2 chicks from another wild were fostered and were raised successfully
• 2010 - Windsong & Perry - Scout, Telli & Nadira