And also from the Hamilton site, some older news on Piggott's adventures, and Madame X's day:
Tuesday Evening June 21, 2011 - Falconwatch Coordinator Alexis Jordan reports: After a relatively quiet day, at 19:00 this evening Pigott made her move, trying to get back to the nest ledge from the roof of the Sheraton pool. It was not to be. Part way up the east side of the building she ran out of steam and slipped back down to ground level on the Thomson building side and out of sight. After a hair-raising few minutes we found her - walking down the ramp of the garage under Jackson Square!!!! Fortunately we were able to do a quick rescue in a difficult space. Because Pigott had bumped the side of the buildings on her way down it was decided to take her for a check up. After a fast one hour car ride, a positive examination, another fast one hour car ride and an elevator trip to the top of the Sheraton, by 22:00 Pigott was out on the edge of the Sheraton squawking like crazy, letting everyone know she was back in town. Stay tuned!
Follow-up for Tuesday June 21, 2011 - Falconwatch Coordinator Alexis Jordan reports: Tuesday's events were hair raising and Falconwatchers again put in lots of extra time due to the difficult circumstances with Pigott. The team did an excellent job looking after her following her first flight and then with the rescue. There were other highlights worth mentioning as well. The male chicks spent most of their time based on the grate on top of the Stelco tower, flying around and catching thermals. They are becoming experienced fliers playing in the sky above us, a real sight to see for pedestrians passing by. The boys were vocalizing, talon touching, and chasing after each other over King Street. At one point this continued for almost five minutes! In the meantime Madame X was out hunting - right in front of our eyes on King Street!! With her skill and size she managed to capture a pigeon off the wall of Standard Life, then flew east with it. The pigeon was so big and heavy that Madame X was actually flying down King Street with it at windshield level. A volunteer and I worried for her safety and came very close to trying to stop traffic. After struggling to get out of the danger from vehicles she managed to settle on a light fixture right outside the entrance to Jackson Square. This created quite a scene for onlookers who watched as Madame X dressed the pigeon only 15 feet up. Feathers were flying everywhere! It was truly amazing for those who watched. She then delivered this meal to the boys, who flew down to meet her and enjoyed their first meal of the day on the Thomson building. Not even a half hour later Surge decided to try to hunting at street level; although a bunch of feathers went flying he just missed his meal.
One other highlight worth mentioning came around 17:30 when two gulls decided to pester Pigott on the Sheraton pool roof when the adults weren't around to chase them off. Pigott kept her eyes on the gulls diving at her and crouched and spread her wings, but stood her ground very well and didn't seem scared! Again, thanks to the volunteers and members of the public who helped make sure the birds were safe on this very busy day.
