affordwatches

ATHENA from William Osler seen in Stoney Creek

April 08, 2024 - Stoney Creek

Cathy Kerr Reports:

News from Vinemount Quarry in Stoney Creek .. spotted earlier this week, it’s ATHENA, the resident female since at least 2013!  The photographer gave permission to use the photo and does not wish any credit.  ATHENA (23/X) is a 2010 hatch from William Osler Hospital in Etobicoke.  She’s the daughter of O’CONNOR and HURRICANE and granddaughter of ERIN.  We hope to get an ID on the male too.  In 2017, when we banded there, it was CRAIG (17/Y), a 2010 hatch from Mississauga Executive Centre.  Cheers, Lucie


Great news from Beachville, Ontario!

April 28, 2022 - Stoney Creek

Marion Nash Reports:

GRACE (Z/42), a 2019 hatch at Carmeuse Lime Quarry, has been seen in Venise-en-Quebec, located at the south end of Quebec near the Vermont border. On her first migration, Grace was rescued and released in Michigan in 2019. She’s looking great and we thank Andre Hebert for sending us this photo! Cheers, Lucie


Banding Day

June 11, 2017 - Stoney Creek

Marion Nash Reports:

June 9th 2017

4 chicks banded with success today thanks to quarry staff, John Miller our climber, Anne Yagi our master bander and CPF volunteer Lucy who took photos . It was tricky running between thunder storms from one nest site banding to another but we dodged the storms once again and the chicks all got banded without any problem.

Here is the information of the 2017 chicks in order banded for the quarry

male 675 grams band number Y 56 named Pud with Red tape on silver band
female 950 grams band S 45 named Fatina with white tape on Silver band
male 645 grams band number Y 57 named Johnston with blue tape on silver band
male 640 grams band number Y 58 named JJ with green tape on silver band.

Al 4 chicks were in good health and 25 to 30 days old at banding. We expect the first flights in about a week. Good luck to all 4 hope they all fly well and stay aloft.

Photos to come.


!!! Sad news to report

November 05, 2015 - Stoney Creek

Marion Nash Reports:

I got a call yesterday from Rita Lampman about a dead peregrine found in Caistor Centre Niagara.

Rita sent me the band information and photos of the bird and I am sad to report that its Stoney Canadian Recovery band number B over 05 produced at the Vinemount Quarry Stoney Creek in 2014.

The bird looked healthy and there was no sign of injury so I assume he collided with something.

The Ontario MNRF will be sending someone out to pick up the bird from Rita.


!!! Rogers centre juvenile spotted - Little “Pop-Fly”, banded Black X over 02 with Blue tape - is on the move south!

August 28, 2015 - Toronto - Rogers Centre

CPF Postmaster Reports:

Aug. 28th - 2015
A big thank you to Brandon who sent in this observation report on a juvenile peregrine falcon that spent some time in his view.

Brandon writes:
Just enjoyed the presence of a young male peregrine - X over 02, black over black, from our condo on Frances Ave. in Stoney Creek, Ontario (Lake Ontario shoreline). Had blue tape over the other band. First observed trying to catch an unknown bird over the lake, then flew up and spent 15-20 minutes perched on our neighbouring condo building. Eventually took flight in pursuit of a Short-billed Dowitcher out over the lake (missed) and continued on his way!
Would love to know where this little one was raised! Hope all is well

Brandon


!!! Stoney Creek Quarry peregrines have been observed with Three hatchlings - confirmed!

June 12, 2015 - Stoney Creek

CPF Postmaster Reports:

June 10th - 2015
Stoney Creek Quarry peregrines have been observed with Three hatchlings - confirmed!
Stay tuned for additional news and updates to follow as soon as we can get time from the fledge watches to post!

All Quiet in Stoney Creek

April 08, 2015 - Stoney Creek

Tracy Simpson Reports:

I stopped in at the Quarry in Stoney Creek today to check in on Athena and Craig in the hopes of finding the pair at home.  The winds were quite strong and the road quite busy so I was unable to get a scope view of the nest cavity but I did manage a view.  It would appear that there is something in the nest cavity but given the distance I was unable to confirm whether this was a peregrine or not.  The territory itself was very quiet with no peregrines in sight but the quarry is large and the camouflage great so finding them is very challenging.  Of interest was a local pair of Red tailed hawks that were hunting without being challenged or raising an alarm.  I will be back for a better view of the nest cavity to confirm whether this pair is active there this year.

All Three Kids Flying High at Stoney Creek!!

July 07, 2014 - Stoney Creek

Tracy Simpson Reports:

Bruce and I decided yesterday that we needed to get out on a road trip and Stoney Creek was on the agenda.  We both have quite an affinity to Athena and Craig as we have been tracking them and their activities for the past two years now.  We were both elated when we found them in the quarry with young and were now itching to see how well they were all doing.

When we first arrived at the quarry, there wasn’t a bird in sight.  We checked the nest cavity and scanned the top wall but were unable to see a single bird.  We checked the ages of the young ones and they are all now between 45 and 50 days of age.  Too old to still be in the nest we hope and yet too young for any major off campus travels.  We scrambled into the car and decided to circle the concession to see if we could spot anyone from the various angles on the sideroads.  Our first circle to the west netted nothing.  Then a circle to the east.  Still nothing.  Back to the top end of the quarry we went and just then a Turkey vulture came in really low over the top of the quarry.  If anyone was home this big bird was about to get run out of town.  Blam!!  In comes Athena and gives it a whack.  The vulture struggled to regain its composure when Whap, another strike by Athena.  The vulture beat a hasty retreat out of the territory and we scrambled back over to the west side to see if this activity brought out any of the young ones.

As soon as we made our way down the road just past the entrance to the quarry we could see Athena flying above the open field to the north and we could clearly hear a juvenile calling.  Craig joined Athena in the swoop passes of the field and then next thing you know it, we had a young one in the air!  As it turns out, the juvenile was Ariel, the only female, and she was flying like mad after her mother.  They flew together back towards the quarry and disappeared from view behind the berm.  A moment later she was back and this time she was being chased. by a second juvenile.  This turned out to be Stoney and the two played a rough and tumble game of aerial chase of which Ariel felt the need to be really vocal about.  Two in view!!  Fantastic!!  They both circled back towards the quarry and again were lost from view behind the berm.  We didn’t have to wait long before they were back yet again and this time we had all three as Cameron decided to join in the fun.  Both Athena and Craig were also flying with them and at one point we had all five birds present and flying together.

The rest spot for the young ones was the same hydro pole that Athena was roosting on the last time I was there.  Ariel and Stoney both landed on the wires and were content to sit their briefly for a rest.  Ariel took off down into the quarry while Stoney remained on the wire, but not alone.  A moment later, a Red Winged blackbird flew in and landed feet away from the young male.  Stoney didn’t quite know what to do with this information and so just sat there flipping his head in play at the blackbird who did not find Stoney equally amusing.  After a minute or two, the blackbird took a run at little Stoney, knocking him off the wire and grabbing his tail as they went.

We left the family at rest in the quarry by mid afternoon and were feeling quite pleased to see that all three juveniles were doing amazing.  Thanks to Bruce for the wonderful outing and congratulations to the quarry for such a successful breeding season!!


!!! 3 Chicks Successfully banded at Waterford Vinemount Quarry in Stoney Creek Ontario!

June 15, 2014 - Stoney Creek

Marion Nash Reports:

Sunday June 15th - 2014
3 Chicks Successfully banded at Waterford Vinemount Quarry in Stoney Creek Ontario!

June 15 was banding day for 3 healthy peregrine hatchlings - 2 males and 1 female.

We were met by Ian from the Waterford Vinemount quarry today along with Anne Yagi from the Vineland district office of the OMNR,,, John Miller, CPF’s volunteer rock climber and Bill and Sue from Burlington who were all willing to come out on their own time, (Sunday, and Fathers Day) to help get the young peregrine falcon hatchlings banded.

It took some time to work out the safest way down to the nest to collect the chicks as there was no where for John to anchor his ropes. A huge thank you to Ian who drove one of the Quarries giant wheel-loaders out to the field behind the nest site so we had something substantial for John to tie off too and attach his climbing lines to.

CPF fledge watch coordinators Bill and Sue from the Burlington lift bridge nest site came out to help to man the two way radios to communicate with John, Mark and Ann while Sue assisted myself and Anne manned the banding table.

Bill stayed at the upper parking area to direct both John and Mark via 2 way radio communication to direct them into the nest ledge spot overhead and keep an eye on the adults as they prepared the ropes and collection equipment for the decent down to the nest on the cliff face.

John did a incredible job safely extracting the chicks while Mark from the CPF lowered the carrier down to John, then down to Ann who was waiting at the base of the quarry floor below to receive them. Everything went exactly as planned and very smoothly despite all of the distractions.

All 3 chicks checked out very healthy and I must admit, were some of the most aggressive and feisty peregrine hatchlings that I have every had the pleasure to handle!

They were all hiss and talons, each one quite happy to strike out grab my gloves with their feet and talons and aggressively lash-out and bite hands throughout the entire process!
Actually, nice to see such healthy aggressive attitudes!

Anne and I banded the chicks as quickly as we could since poor John was still hanging out over the edge on the cliff face while trying to keep the adults distracted and busy so that they would not realize we had removed their chicks.

Throughout the entire process, the resident adults had quite a time indeed, as they successfully defended their nest and territory against several Turkey Vultures that were flew overtop and into the Quarry air space, in addition to dealing with the remote controlled gas powered model air planes and at least one remote controlled powered gas model jet that was being flown by others from across the concession road,, overtop, in and around of the Quarry during the entire banding process. It was a very busy airspace for sure!

We processed all 3 hatchlings through the banding in about 30 minutes, checked them over to make sure they were healthy, gave them each a drink of water took some photos and it was back to John to place them back in the nest.

The first chick a male was 606 grams at 24 days old and was named Stoney

The second was a female weighing 868 grams and the oldest at 28 days she was named Ariel by Ian’s daughter.

The third chick, another male was 602 grams and was given the name Cameron by Quarry staff.

We were able to confirm that the resident adults nesting at the Waterford Quarries are in fact Athena and Craig (both resident adults are in fact banded and known to us as being the resident territorial adults that attempted to nest in another area in Stoney Creek in a microwave dish on a communications tower last year).

I can say that they were very happy to see their chicks back on the nest no worse for ware and went out hunting for lunch for the little ones as soon as they were sure they had succeeded in chasing John and Mark off the cliff.

It was back to the more mundane duties of peregrine parenthood for the falcons.

An incredible day indeed, and a huge thank you to all that came out to support and help! What a fantastic team of caring people!!!
Stay tuned for the many photos to follow……..


!!! Banding Day at the Stoney Creek nest site!

June 15, 2014 - Stoney Creek

Mark Nash Reports:

Sunday June 15th - 2014
Stay tuned for the updated news on banding news later today for the Stoney Creek hatchlings.