Radisson - 2012 / Ivy & Princess

[The Peregrine Chick]

I hadn't seen a pigeon house for a long time (there was one on our street when I was a kid) and I recently saw two houses with them close to Pan Am pool. I was walking up the lane towards my car and noticed them across the lane from each other, so I guess there are people who breed fancy pigeons around the city. Does anyone know if they let them out to fly around? These ones that I saw where closed into their houses.

Yes, some do let them fly around - that one at the Pan Am has been there since I was a kid (many many moons ago and we'll leave it at that) and I think those birds (or rather their ancestors) did use to fly around and land on the roof of "their" house, but the "moons" were many and I may not be remembering quite correctly ... 

[birdcamfan]

I hadn't seen a pigeon house for a long time (there was one on our street when I was a kid) and I recently saw two houses with them close to Pan Am pool. I was walking up the lane towards my car and noticed them across the lane from each other, so I guess there are people who breed fancy pigeons around the city. Does anyone know if they let them out to fly around? These ones that I saw where closed into their houses.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Other than carrier pigeons or pets  (do they have bands?) what pigeons would have bands? Probably not familiar with who else inhabits the downtown area.

Racing pigeons or what are called "fancy pigeons" which I think are show pigeons.

[sami]

Other than carrier pigeons or pets  (do they have bands?) what pigeons would have bands? Probably not familiar with who else inhabits the downtown area.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Pigeon with a death wish flew onto the ledge by the ledge cam after 2am and stayed until after 7am.  Nice looking bird - had two coloured bands on its legs - a yellow or yellow-green on one and a green on the other ...

[Kinderchick]

Interesting to hear that both parents might still be around. I do occasionally see one perched on the East nest ledge corner, when I pass through the downtown area.

[bcbird]

Thank you.  It is nice to know she would visit and even notice what Ivy has been up to.

[The Peregrine Chick]

If it is Princess hanging out on the east nestledge, would she perhaps also visit the west nest box and add to the nice scrape Ivy has been working on?  Would that be likely behaviour this late in the season?

She only occasionally comes into the box once the kids have left.  Haven't seen her in the box since August.  When she's there, she checks out what Ivy's been up to, but its not the same as scraping in the spring, less focussed, a bit like wiping your feet when you get home rather than trying to body surf on the gravel.  Hope that imagery works ...

[bcbird]

If it is Princess hanging out on the east nestledge, would she perhaps also visit the west nest box and add to the nice scrape Ivy has been working on?  Would that be likely behaviour this late in the season?

[The Peregrine Chick]

1630h
There was a bird sitting on the edge of the nestbox that I couldn't identify but had a silver band on their left leg, so could have been Ivy.  I say could have because the breast was very white and I have been watching him all afternoon and he has a dark pink wash on his breast right now.  Now it could have been the bright light (it was sunny!) on his breast and the wash wasn't showing or it could have been someone else.  Who do I think it was? I think it was Ivy, but I couldn't see the bird's coloured band.

At the same time there is a bird preening on the east-side nestledge and it looks like lighter coloured feathers on the head and a dark band on the left leg, which makes me think it's Princess.

[The Peregrine Chick]

1200h

Ivy is on the end of the east side Radisson sign.  Seems to be looking for something/someone.  Not lunch because he keeps looking away and usually he "tracks" lunch as it flies around.  He's just keep looking around and up but no calling and it doesn't look like he's on the verge of leaving .... ack, I lied, he's twitching now ...

[Pam]

I've been chasing the adults around the building with the cams - its definitely Ivy, he keeps turning up in the nestbox to bow and yell at who knows what or who.  Been able to read his band easily.  Haven't been able to get a look at his companion, not even well enough (yet) to see if she has a "crown".  And one of the kids has been playing peek-a-boo with some of the offices on the north side of Portage.  He/she has been hanging out on the window ledges on the lower buildings and giving the office workers great opportunities for photos! And yes, I'm chasing up the photos and permission to post the photos as we speak.  Have to check the head patterns against images from the cams to figure out who it might be.  No antennae from what has been reported, so not McDermot.

Although I do miss being in one of those offices with a view.........I can't say I'm unhappy to be retired!  Hope you have some great local contacts, TPC!

[The Peregrine Chick]

So perhaps Princess has left town for the tropics and Ivy is eyeing up a new gal?  I'm curious to know if it's Sandy again

Haven't been able to see any other adults but Ivy but when I do, hopefully they will show their band to the camera!

[susha]

So perhaps Princess has left town for the tropics and Ivy is eyeing up a new gal?  I'm curious to know if it's Sandy again

[The Peregrine Chick]

Was checking the Radisson recording a little earlier than usual today and as I was doing so, in flew Ivy.  Parked on the NW corner of the nestbox for about 30 seconds before taking off after whatever he was focussed on.  Thursday he was in the box trying to nestscrape around the remains of his kids' meals (he actually moved a carcass over about 2 inches so he could scrape properly) but he wasn't calling so don't know if anyone else was around, with the lack of calling I would say not.  Today however, he landed on the box edge and was laser-locked on something else the whole time and never even went into the box, just took off again SW.