ON / Mississauga - Executive Centre - 2008-20

[Liz]

the plot thickens...

[The Peregrine Chick]

Okay, I'm going to be interested in hearing what folks out in Mississauga say after the videos and photos have been reviewed.  I say that because I had a look at two videos - one from the 2nd and one from the 4th (I believe I have those dates right).  What is interesting is that to my eye, the adult feeding the chicks on the 2nd is a male, but the adult on the 4th looks much larger and I assumed the female - but that was before we knew how long the resident female had been dead.  Now I don't know if there is any distortion with the lens, but that second female sure looked female to me ... going to have to go back and check it out again ...

[bccs]

Something about the first Friday in June seems to suck.
Thanks for the heads up Loriann, woulda hurt a whole lot more otherwise.

[Loriann]

Thanks for the update Carly. this is my pair, five minutes from the house............. I've been sad since you told me earlier today ( and thanks for that,, better than finding out somehow else, I appreciate the personal note).

SO sad........  we have watched these guys float around for some time, worried over their well being during the worst storms, and now this, after last years loss of the kids here too, well damn it these guys deserved a break.

Mom defended her nest and babies to the bitter end, and as both Tracy and I both said, she went out fighting the good fight, saved her kids, and died a birdie hero.......  may she soar .

keeping all fingers crossed for the wee ones. At least they are at a good age to be hacked off to another nest, and they are in fantastic hands with Mark and his wife and team. 

not a good day . 

[Liz]

Sad news, carly.  But there are three healthy chicks to carry on , and dad can go do what they do - take another mate. 

[carly]

I'm not sure how dad is to be honest, I expect he might be upset as instinct drives him to feed and protect them but he was probably in a tough spot.  He's got a new female who's demanding his attention so his loyalties were no doubt torn.    

I know it seems harsh to remove the chicks from dad but sometimes the new mate won't accept them, we are lucky she didn't harm them however she didn't seem to want to protect them from harm or feed them either.  

It will be interesting to see if they try to start their own family now - it's late but not too late in the season.

TPC can explain the biology of all this behaviour much better than I can.

[eagle63_1999]

That's what the hardwiring does for birds, they have chicks they have to feed em come heck or high water.

[bccs]

thanks for the update Carly. Hope you're ok. And a big thanks to the people who rescued the chicks. How's the dad? He's gotta be wondering where the babies are. What a guy, trying to care for them on his own.

[carly]

Sad news at Mississauga MEC site today which I am allowed to share with you-and you'd notice there are no chicks on the cam anymore if you went to look.  They went up to band the 3 chicks there and found the adult female dead out on the ledge.  Based on decomposition of her body, she was killed about 1.5 weeks ago by a new female.  The male has done a decent enough job trying to keep the chicks fed and cared for however for the safety and health of the chicks the decision was made by the MNR and CPF to remove the chicks from the nest permanentely.

This was based on several factors; although the chicks were being fed, the females were 100-150 grams below the expected weight they should be at their age.  All were dehydrated, hungry and keening.  The new female apparently has not been seen even entering the nestbox since she won the territorial fight.  She did not put up any defense at all of the chicks or show any interest in them being removed.

They were taken to a vet and spent the day there and are now rehydrated and have had some vitamins - didn't know they gave falcons vitamins!  They are on the way to a falcon care facility, where for the next few days they will be fed to their hearts content and then either prepared for a hack release or fostered out.

The deceased resident female there was not a banded bird so we do not know who she was but she was quite a fireball they said, may her spirit soar free !

[carly]

Better late than never, Mississauga MEC peregrine cam will be up this afternoon!  Three hatches here!

You can see the new web camera at: http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/Web_Cams/Mississauga/index.htm

[carly]

Nice update story that includes a Mississaug alumni hatched there in 2003 named Tonga who is successful raising her own families in Michigan, and one from King St also in Michigan at another site who has quite an incredible and tragic background and ouch- having your tale frozen to a concrete ledge...that's gotta hurt!!

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/c/sightings/mississauga-executive-centre/

[Loriann]

ah. always..... unfortunately i usually have a big dog on the other arm and steady pictures don't always happen.. if you are out this way some time, there is an entire family unit of red-tailed hawks congregating and circling over the park at Burnhamthorpe and Credit Woodlands .   I saw no less than six of them soaring like vultures up there last night. ( drive. eyes forward, not UP). perhaps if the weather allows on the weekend we'll head up there for a try at some pictures..

[carly]

Bring a camera Loriann!! 

[Loriann]

Good news considering the storm a few weeks back. I thought for sure those birds would be somewhere in Buffalo after those winds, I'm sure I saw Dorthy and Toto go by hollering something about not being in Kansas anymore.  good news!  I'll have to wander up there and have a look..................live about five minutes away from the Executive centre buildings.

[The Peregrine Chick]

last egg in a nest is usually laid after incubation starts - always takes us about a week to find out if we have many we actually have in a nest ... might have happened here ...