ON / Don Mills - 2011-13

[Cooper]

And they have two eggs so far! 

[The Peregrine Chick]

2013 NESTING SEASON

Quest and Kendall are back for 2013 and have been seen at the nestbox.
And there is now a webcam on this nestbox - a nice one too!

http://harlequinblog.com/video.html

[RCF]

!!! First feeding!

It was an exciting day for sure!

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/2011/05/sightings/first-feeding/

[nibs]

TORONTO - Bird-watchers in Toronto are chirping about the latest arrival at a north-end office tower — a newly hatched peregrine falcon.

It's the offspring of a pair that had nested on the top ledge of a building across from the offices of romance publishers Harlequin.

The Canadian Peregrine Foundation has identified the mating pair as Quest — born across Lake Ontario in Rochester, N.Y. — and her mate, Kendal — born at 18 King St. E. in downtown Toronto in 2009.

The foundation says Quest is the first satellite-tagged bird to produce young.

Quest laid three eggs earlier this year, but rejected the other two — raising concern among bird-watchers over the chances for the remaining egg.

The baby has been named Harlequin, since the nesting pair was first spotted by the publishing company's CEO Donna Hayes back in April.

Marion Nash, director of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation says the group's website www.peregrine-foundation.ca will follow the progress of the family of peregrines, which are a threatened species.

She said the foundation will set up a "fledge watch" to help ensure the baby survives its first few days and flight attempts.

"Often during the first two to three weeks, as unco-ordinated babies, the fledglings lose altitude and come to the ground, get themselves in all sorts of trouble or hit the building trying to land," Nash explained.

"We man the street in teams to keep an eye on them and rescue them when needed and get them back to the rooftop or to a vet if hurt."

Nash said the foundation will be recruiting new volunteers on its website, where a form will be available.

[windwolvz]

We were treated to a visit by the Rochester ladies today at the nest site to visit Quest and Kendal.  It was a pleasure to see them again.  No third egg today and it looks like we may be into full incubation of two.  We'll know for sure tomorrow.  There are new pictures on the CPF website that were taken today and pics of the tray installation.  At one point the male took over the incubating and really struggled to get them covered up.  He finally was over one and tucked the other under his wing not knowing what else to do with it.  Quest watched him from the adjacent building and came back within ten minutes when she figured he'd been looking ridiculous long enough.  By then end of the day he was back on the eggs and got it right this time.  New parents!!

[The Peregrine Chick]

So, how is Lori?? I sure miss her on the forum,
Did she send this on her own?,

Loriann says she's fine and very busy.  She sent me a couple of updates on Toronto sites but she must be very very busy because she usually sends out more "fun" stuff as well but not recently.

Glad she sent about Kendal and Quest, hadn't heard anything about them until she did!

[bccs]

So, how is Lori?? I sure miss her on the forum,
Did she send this on her own?,

[allikat]

Yep. 
 

[Kinderchick]

Nice to hear this update, windwolvz.

[windwolvz]

As a matter of fact, Quest and Kendal are doing very well now.  The second (third total ) egg was laid right next to the one in the new nest tray.  Quest has been incubating steadily and Kendal just managed to get the gist of it today.  If she does lay another, it will be tomorrow afternoon as she is 48 hours apart almost to the minute.  Kendal is supplying her with so much food that there is no concern about his ability to provide and has already created two stash sites.  Now that the nest tray and pea gravel is available, they are on track and all looks good.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Just as a note, I contacted CPF and sent them information on our experiences in 2009 at their request.  Glad it worked out so well for them, will be interestng to see how Quest and Kendal make out now that they have a better "base" of operations.

[windwolvz]

A new post is up on the CPF website for the Don Mills location detailing recent events there.  Nest tray is installed and Quest has claimed it. 

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/2011/04/sightings/update-for-quest-and-kendal/

[The Peregrine Chick]

This from Loriann ....

Quest Lays Her First Egg
April 19, 2011 - Toronto - Don Mills

Tracy Simpson Reports:
An exuberant Donna Hayes called our head office this afternoon to let us know that Quest’s first egg has appeared!  This is fantastic news and met with great fanfare from our friends at Harlequin Enterprises.  We await the hopeful arrival of more eggs to come and watch as these two birds come together to raise their first family.  Our gracious thanks go out to the staff at Harlequin Enterprises Ltd. for allowing CPF staff access to monitor these birds.  For updates, please check back on the new Don Mills location page

[The Peregrine Chick]

2011 NESTING SEASON

This emailed in from a Fan in Toronto ...

Falcons find high-flying (Harlequin) romance
Jayne Poisson, Toronto Sun - 17 April 2011

On the 5th storey ledge of a nondescript office tower, smack in the centre of North York, a pair of rare peregrine falcons have fallen in love.

Quest — a pretty American from Rochester, N.Y., and Kendal, a local boy born across from Toronto's King Edward hotel — have been making scrapes, the peregrine equivalent of a nest for over a week now.

It's an exciting time for avid falcon watchers — of which there are many — who expect adorable babies any day.

And here's the kicker. The first person to spot the regal birds, with their black-helmeted heads and sharply hooked beaks, was the CEO and publisher of the largest producer of romance books on the planet. The falcons have been courting one another directly across from the world headquarters of Harlequin Enterprises on Duncan Mill Rd.

“They’ve been putting on quite a display of aerial acrobatics, spins and dives — high-altitude flirting,” said CEO Donna Hayes, who admits the falcons have been a distraction of late. They've become the most popular couple in the office, even beating out steamy, loin-quivering characters in Harlequin novels like How to Lasso a Cowboy and, the chiseled-abs jacketed The Pleasure Garden.

Here's the link to the rest of the story in the Toronto Sun: Falcons find high-flying (Harlequin) romance