July 02, 2024 - Brampton - Courthouse
Cathy Kerr Reports:
FLEDGE WATCH - Brampton Courthouse - Saturday, June 29 - Tuesday, July 2
SATURDAY - It wasn’t a great day to be in the air with all the rain and wind, so it was good that PERCY stayed put on the ledge all day according to Winston. Mom ROSE was close by at all times.
SUNDAY & MONDAY - Toivo reported PERCY being on the ledge early Sunday morning. When he returned later, PERCY was no where to be seen and neither was mom. Only Dad NICO was around and hanging out on the nest ledge. Because we know ROSE’s behaviour, it wasn’t difficult to speculate that wherever PERCY was, mom was close by. ROSE returned to the nest ledge late Sunday afternoon. Neither ROSE nor NICO seemed overly concerned and we felt they knew exactly where PERCY was, even though we did not. On Monday, no one saw PERCY or ROSE.
TUESDAY - When I arrived early afternoon, it was just Dad NICO that I saw on the ledge. He stayed put for quite a while until he took off and landed on a tall condo west of the nest site. He stayed there for a while and I knew there was a reason he was perched there. A few hours later, NICO flew there again, this time with food in his talons. It wasn’t difficult to hazard a guess that PERCY was somewhere in that area! With my bins on him constantly, I waited and watched while he remained on the rooftop .. and finally .. shortly after 5 pm .. I saw 2 falcons flying in the distance. I thought at first it was a pigeon .. and then no, it was definitely a peregrine .. so I thought .. mom? Well, even if it was mom, given that she’s been with PERCY, by his side, all day long, he just had to be there! I was quite a distance away and even through my binoculars, I could easily be looking at pigeons, so having my camera handy really helped. Yes, I saw a parent .. no mistaking that. But then a second peregrine was perched on the roof too and sure enough, it was PERCY!! I had to get closer and take more photos, and then confirmed that I was looking at that juvie brown chest! Before long, I saw all 3 on the roof and I can’t tell you what it felt like to have found our boy!! When I left, PERCY was still on the condo roof, ROSE was back on the nest ledge prepping food, while NICO was perched on another building. Toivo and Winston continued to watch, but I didn’t stay since I was quite satisfied knowing PERCY was okay!
Update on WEDNESDAY - Toivo reports PERCY in the air with parents tonight showing off some pretty darn good flying skills! Happy day! Cheers, Lucie
When I arrived Sunday early afternoon, I did a complete search of the courthouse, including the kestrel’s territory. I have never been this close to a kestrel nest area and since I didn’t see peregrines, I got some photos of the kestrels. Oh so cute! Also nearby were the goldfinches and I enjoyed watching them too
Posted on July 9, 2024 8:25 pm
June 28, 2024 - Brampton - Courthouse
Cathy Kerr Reports:
FLEDGE WATCH - Brampton Courthouse - Thursday, June 27 & Friday, June 28
Lucie reports:
THURSDAY - It was my first time fledge watching at this location and I was looking forward to seeing PERCY, who had come down the night before and landed on a low building directly across the street from the nest building. When I arrived around lunch time, mom was on the roof of this building and then jumped down out of sight where Percy was assumed to be.
Finally, around 5 pm Percy made an appearance on the ledge! From that time until 9 pm, I got to see and photograph him up close, whether he was being fed by mom or just looking darn cute. I watched mom bring food for Percy .. a white pigeon .. she dropped it off in front of him and picked a few feathers to feed him. Then she stepped away while he just looked at the pigeon and struggled with it. It took awhile then it sunk it .. mom started to beak feed him. He ended up with a full crop very content. We wondered if she might be a first-time mom .. and even if so, she’s a great mom, constantly watching out over him!
It’s always a great feeling to be able to ID a peregrine and especially wonderful to know that it’s NICO, from the Duncan Mill site, son of Quest and Mystery, and first-time dad!
Cathy posted some of my photos a couple of days ago and I’m adding a few more from that evening of mom and Percy on the roof. And it was so nice to finally meet Toivo and spend some time on this fledge watch with him.
FRIDAY - A very noteworthy day for sure and one that will certainly be remembered by myself and Winston. I was on my way to the courthouse when I got a call that Percy was down and needed rescuing. Winston and Toivo thankfully were on the job and with their efficient teamwork got Percy in the crate. Congrats to Winston on his first successful rescue!!
When I arrived, the first thing I saw was mom on the light post right in front of me with food in her talons. With the help of the courthouse staff, we released Percy on the roof and almost instantly mom flew to the roof and Percy was grabbing the food from her!!
From his release until 9:00 pm, Percy remained on the ledge, with his parents very close by. He had several feedings. Dad dropped the food off in front of him, then mom came in to beak feed. The most activity that I saw occurred after 7:30 when a pair of kestrels decided to cause a stir. I watched as mom took the brunt of their swoops, while dad remained with Percy. My heart went out to mom who endured this pair who were probably protecting their own young on the other side of the building, where I understand is their territory. I left around 9 pm and all was quiet, including the kestrels.
Mom is unbanded and has no name, so we have decided to call her ROSE. Cheers, Lucie
Posted on June 29, 2024 10:30 pm
June 27, 2024 - Brampton - Courthouse
Cathy Kerr Reports:
Lucy and I are so thrilled to announce that the resident male at Brampton Courthouse has been positively ID’d as NICO, 2021 hatch out of Don Mills, son of our beloved Quest and Mystery!!!! Percy is their grandson! Beautiful
Sally, Bob, Mark and Marion and I fledge watched him… His first flight found him landing on a hydro pole, in wires, on a blistering hot day. We waited anxiously and he finally took off low, and Mark rescued him. Obviously, he was released successfully and now has a wonderful mate and the cutest son!!
I asked Lucie and Winston to try and get an ID as soon as Toivo let me know that the male was banded. Winston got a partial, and we suspected Nico but we needed positive ID. And Lucie got it!! Thanks guys for this wonderful news.
I’ve dug up some of Nico’s fledge watch pics but the best one is Lucie’s… Our boy all grown up. Sorry if this is a bit sappy, but we put so much into our fledge watches and CPF, and it’s for moments like this, that make it all worth while.
Posted on June 29, 2024 10:20 pm
June 27, 2024 - Brampton - Courthouse
Cathy Kerr Reports:
And we are off!!
Toivo has been keeping an eye on our little one and thank goodness for that!
He arrived to find him down, probably blown off by the strong winds we have been having. He rescued him. Way to go Toivo!!!
After a rest, I joined Toivo and Mark Heaton and we got that little guy (yes its a boy) banded, his name is Percy, and then back up on the nest building, and back to his parents.
Toivo and I were happy to see his parents up with him within minutes. Lovely. I headed back to work and left Toivo to watch.
Later in the afternoon a storm came up but Toivo had lost sight of him but just knew he was not on the ledge any more. After the storm passed, Toivo observed Mom bring food across the street on the very large roof. She popped down, then a bit later, up without food. Bingo! Our little guy was across the street.
And there he spent the night.
Yesterday was a long day for Toivo and Lucie. Percy got fed multiple times on that roof and didn’t make an appearance until late in the day. Such a cutie.
Hopefully they will get to see some nice flights today!
Go Percy
Thanks Lucie for her great pics of him on the roof.
Posted on June 28, 2024 3:56 pm
June 22, 2024 - Brampton - Courthouse
Cathy Kerr Reports:
BRAMPTON COURTHOUSE UPDATE :
Toivo reports :
On Saturday I got my first good look at the chick,
at least 33 to 35 days old but size indicates a male and surprised at how many pin feathers still there, where it is standing is kind of dangerous as no grip to hold on in all of the wind but he did.
Thanks Toivo for the update. Looking forward to your fledge report
Posted on June 25, 2024 8:20 pm
May 23, 2024 - Brampton - Courthouse
Cathy Kerr Reports:
Exciting BRAMPTON COURTHOUSE Update from Toivo :
Yesterday I got a call from a Gentlemen named Manu, maintenance supervisor at the Courthouse. We have a HATCH, on Tues 21st. She is still sitting tight so hoping for more.
Great news, thanks Toivo!
Posted on June 21, 2024 7:42 pm
April 25, 2024 - Brampton - Courthouse
Cathy Kerr Reports:
Toivo reports:
Brampton Courthouse, I have now watched 3 incubation exchanges in the last 5 days last night included M bringing her a meal which she took off with and he went in down and out of sight. I estimate incubation started about Apr 14. the female in downtown I now have confirmed is a juvenile and still being seen so he did not drive her away, she is only 5K from the Courthouse.
Thanks Toivo!
Posted on April 27, 2024 4:23 pm
April 16, 2024 - Brampton - Courthouse
Cathy Kerr Reports:
BRAMPTON UPDATE : Toivo reports :
Brampton has a soap opera going on. Mid March I thought there may be eggs down, then both Falcons were visible away from the ledge. Last week I saw mating 5 times and have now confirmed that it is a different Male , a banded bird and darker back and different facial patterns from the last pic I posted who was un banded. We also have a large dark female hanging out 5K away on a bldg in Downtown Brampton. They can see each other and Thurs at dusk I saw a 20 min air battle downtown, a male attacking that female.
This picture is the new banded male on the courthouse and currently only seeing the female briefly again. I suspect and hope we may have eggs down on the Courthouse.
Thanks Toivo - lots of changes going on there!
Posted on April 27, 2024 4:09 pm
April 02, 2024 - Brampton - Courthouse
Cathy Kerr Reports:
BRAMPTON COURTHOUSE UODATE:
From Toivo :
Brampton Courthouse the Male on watch and you can see the shadow of the Female as she eats the meal he brought her, but no news , both there, mating seen Fri and Sat. but no eggs down yet
Thanks Toivo!
Posted on April 27, 2024 3:53 pm
March 12, 2024 - Brampton - Courthouse
Cathy Kerr Reports:
Toivo reports:
Since Tues 12th afternoon only one Falcon visible on the Courthouse, always within 50 feet of the corner where I now believe the female is down on eggs. This is the male moments before he went out on a short hunt. I will need to see an incubation exchange to be certain, but we have watched them both go out of sight before Tuesday. No band on the Male
Thanks Toivo!
Posted on March 15, 2024 8:19 pm