Hamilton Community Peregrine Project Falcon Cam - Sheraton Hamilton Peregrines

<BODY BACKGROUND ="hncback.gif" TEXT="Green" LINK="black" VLINK="black" ALINK="black">      <HTML> <head><title>Hamilton Community Peregrine Project WebCam</title></head>  <body bgcolor="green" text="#FFFFBF"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td align="left"> <img src="hcppname.gif" height="40" width="453" alt="The Hamilton Community Peregrine Project" align="left" hspace="0"></td><td align="center"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2"><tr><td align="center"> <a href="hcpphistory.htm" target="news"><img src="hcppbuttonhistory.gif" alt="News" border="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" height="17" width="50" align="top"></a></td><td align="center"><a href="hcppnews.htm" target="news"><img src="hcppbuttonnews.gif" alt="News" border="0" height="17" width="50" hspace="0" vspace="0" align="top"></a><br></td></tr><tr><td> <a href="hcppgallery.htm?200805120344" target="news"><img src="hcppbuttongallery.gif" alt="Gallery" border="0" height="17" width="50" hspace="0" vspace="0" align="top"></a><br></td><td align="center"><a href="hcppfalconfacts.htm" target="news"><img src="hcppbuttonfacts.gif" alt="Falcon Facts" border="0" height="17" width="50" hspace="0" vspace="0" align="top"></a><br></td></tr></table> </td><td align="right"> <img src="falccameo.gif" height="40" width="53" alt="" align="right" hspace="0"><br></td></tr></table> </center> </font> </HTML> <HTML> <HEAD> <META http-equiv="pragma" content="nocache"> <title>Hamilton Community Peregrine Project Falcon Cam - Sheraton Hamilton Peregrines</title> <script language="JavaScript" src="http://www.hwcn.org/develop/domutilsub.js"></script> <script language="javascript">  </script> <META http-equiv="refresh" content="60">  </HEAD>    <BODY bgcolor="#ffffcf" background="webcambackhwcn.gif" TEXT="green" LINK="black" VLINK="black" ALINK="black"> <font face="arial"><center>  <font size="+1"><b>FibreWired FalconCam</b><br></font> Live from the Sheraton Hamilton Nest <font size="-2"><br> <script language="javascript">  </script> <IMG src="hampereg.jpg" border="0" height="240" width="320" vspace="0"><br>  <b>Web page created by <a href="mailto:charles@hwcn.org">charles@hwcn.org</a>  </b><br></font> <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="javascript">  </script> </center></font> </body> </HTML> <HTML> <HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> <META http-equiv="refresh" content="7200"> <META NAME="Generator" CONTENT="Microsoft Word 97"> <title>Hamilton Community Peregrine Project Falcon News - Sheraton Hamilton Peregrines</title> <META NAME="Template" CONTENT="C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE\html.dot"> </HEAD> <BODY TEXT="#008000" LINK="#000000" VLINK="#000000" BGCOLOR="#ffffcc" ALINK="black"> <B><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">Hamilton Falconwatch News <script language="javascript"></script></B></FONT><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><BR> provided by the Hamilton Naturalists' Club </FONT><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=1><BR> To be sure you have <script language="javascript"></script> latest update, click Refresh/Reload <br></font><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2> <a href="http://www.hamiltonnature.org/falconwatch.htm" target="HNC_DONATION_WINDOW">Make a Donation to help FalconWatch!</a> <P><!- DISABLED #include virtual="/falcondaily.html" ></P> </font><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2> <HTML> <HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> <META NAME="Generator" CONTENT="Microsoft Word 97"> <TITLE>hcppnewstext-04May2008</TITLE> <META NAME="Template" CONTENT="C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE\html.dot"> </HEAD> <BODY LINK="#0000ff" VLINK="#800080"> <FONT FACE="Arial"><B><P ALIGN="CENTER">THREE CHICKS FOR SURE!!!!<P></B></FONT> <TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0> <TR><TD VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <IMG hspace="4" SRC="gallery2008/Three-chicks-8May08-1020.jpg"></TD> <TD VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><p>May 8, 2008 UPDATE - The image at left, captured at 10:20 this morning, clearly shows three chicks and a single egg. Falconwatchers can see how big the eggs really are. Thanks to a watcher in Niagara Falls for flagging this moment.</p> <p>Thanks very much to everyone who has made a donation to Falconwatch. We appreciate your help VERY much! Any Falconwatcher who would like to contribute toward the costs of Falconwatch can do so by clicking on the 'Make a Donation' line above. Enjoy watching!!!</p></td></tr></table></p><P> <TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0> <TR><TD VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <IMG hspace="4" SRC="gallery2008/Mom&two-chicks-7May08-1545.jpg"></TD> <TD VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><p>May 8, 2008 - The image at left shows Madame X and the first two chicks of this year at 15:45 Wednesday, May 7. The picture is one of a series that started about ten minutes earlier when Surge brought food to the ledge and Madame X then fed the youngsters. All pictures can be viewed by clicking on the 'Gallery' button and selecting the time range.</p> <p>At 07:15 today one egg and two chicks were visible. We are not yet sure if the third chick hatched overnight. Stay tuned!</td></tr></table></p> <P>May 7, 2008 - Sharp-eyed visitors to our site spotted the second chick of the season shortly after sunrise this morning. See the "Favorites" section of the Gallery for latest photos. There should be more opportunities to observe the chicks as feedings become more frequent.</p> <TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0> <TR><TD VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <IMG hspace="4" SRC="gallery2008/First-chick2008.jpg"></TD> <TD VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><p>May 6, 2008 - Senior Monitor Mike Street reports that around 0845 today Madame X started getting very fidgety. Close to 0900 it loooked as though there was an extra bit of white showing, and by 0940 it was certain. In the image at left the ball of white fluff behind Madame X is 2008's first chick. (The first Falconwatcher to report the chick was watching in Australia!) Stay tuned!!!!</p></td></tr></table></p><P> <TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0> <TR><TD VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <IMG hspace="4" SRC="gallery2008/24apr.jpg"></TD> <TD VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><p>April 25, 2008 - Lead Monitor Audrey Gamble reports: Thursday evening I arrived downtown just in time to see Madame X taking a stretch break on an antenna on the Fairclough building. Within two minutes she headed back to the scrape to tuck the eggs in for the night. A short while later Surge soared into view and took up his sentry post on the Stelco Tower.(At left: Madame X just leaving on her break.)</p></td></tr></table></p> <p>It was great fun to meet students attending Ecofest yesterday. Hello to classes from St. Joachim in Ancaster and St. Christopher school in Hamilton. I hope you enjoyed learning about Hamilton's Peregrines and will follow their story. Greetings to Ms. Bingham's third grade class at St.George-German School. It sounds like you are becoming excellent junior scientists.</p> <p>Let us know if your class is following the story of Hamilton's Peregrines. We are always pleased to hear from fellow Falcon fans.</p> <p>April 23, 2008 - HCPP volunteers have noticed how much time Surge is spending sitting on the eggs. Madame X obviously trusts his experience as a father and considers him fully trained now. When he first arrived at the Sheraton nest in '06 she supervised him very closely. Last year he took a more active role at the nest and now he just seems like an old pro!</p> <p>Volunteers frequently hear the call of an irate peregrine in the area of Bold and Caroline Streets, seemingly in response to the regular presence of a hawk perched on an apartment building there.</p> <p>Hello to classes from Cathy Wever Elementary School in Hamilton and St. Thomas School in Waterdown. It was fun to talk to you at Ecofest today and I hope you will keep following the story of Hamilton's peregrines.</p> <p>We expect the eggs to start hatching around May 7, so stay tuned.</p> <TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0> <TR><TD VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <IMG hspace="4" SRC="gallery2008/hz0406141333-shift-change.jpg"></TD> <TD VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2>April 11, 2008 - Lead Monitor Audrey Gamble reports: Madame X and Surge have clearly settled in to incubate the four eggs. Surge is doing a lot of the incubating while Madame X supervises from a nearby vantage point. The picture at left shows a shift change - Surge has just come out of the nest as Madame X, back to the camera, gets ready for a turn.</P></td></tr></table> <TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0> <TR><TD VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <IMG hspace="4" SRC="gallery2008/hz0406141333-mod1-eggs-only.jpg"></TD> <TD VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2> The image at left shows the four eggs in the ledge just after 14:000 Sunday, April 6. We have enhanced the picture as much as possible to show viewers how big the eggs really are. We expect to see live chicks around - appropriately - Mother's Day.</P></td></tr></table> The Jackson Square television monitor and information station is up and running. It is located in the aisle closest to King Street, on the James St. side of the Sheraton Hotel, between the cell phone sales booth and the stairway. Easiest access to the monitor is through the mall doors at 100 King St. West. Falconwatch would like to thank the Jackson Square Therapeutic Centre for sharing their booth with our monitor.</p> <p>April 6, 2008: Lead Monitor Audrey Gamble reports: Madame X has kept her record intact - around 14:00 today a shift change allowed a clear look at four eggs in the scrape. Here we go again!</p> <p>April 4, 2008: Lead Monitor Audrey Gamble reports: At about 14:38 this afternoon Surge was standing on the ledge with three eggs visible in the scrape behind him. Today's cold weather cannot have been fun for the birds. The Jackson Square television monitor and information station is up and running. It is located in the aisle closest to King Street, on the James St. side of the Sheraton hotel, between the cell phone sales booth and the stairway. Easiest access to the monitor is through the mall doors at 100 King St. West. Falconwatch would like to thank the Jackson Square Therapeutic Centre for sharing their booth with our monitor.</p> <p>April 3, 2008: Lead Monitor Audrey Gamble reports: At about 12:45 today Madame X stood up to stretch and three nice large eggs were visible. She's almost right on schedule!</p> <p>Wednesday's lovely afternoon sun allowed a clear view of two big brown eggs when Madame X left the scrape to stretch her wings just after 1 PM. Surge took a short turn tending the eggs in her absence, although she didn't stray far. As Madame X relaxed in the sunshine and preened I was able to confirm her band numbers. While experienced falconwatchers can recognize individual birds by their facial characteristics we make a point of confirming the band numbers each breeding season. </p> <P>As a group of seven turkey vultures sailed innocently over the downtown core I wondered whether the peregrines would consider them a threat and give chase. Although TVs are carrion eaters and not predators, the adult Peregrines have in the past attacked and driven TVs away from the nest area while the nest is active. Yesterday neither Madame X nor Surge considered them a risk and allowed the large migrants to continue on their way undisturbed. On the other hand, the mature Peregrine Falcon who passed through downtown met with an entirely different reception. Surge chased and fought with the intruder, letting him know in no uncertain terms on whose territory he was encroaching.</p> <p>March 30, 2008: Lead Monitor Audrey Gamble reports: Here we go again! Around 10:30AM yesterday, Saturday, we were able to clearly see an egg in the nest!!! Peregrines typically lay two to four red-brown eggs at alternate day intervals, so by Monday we will hope to see another. Madame X has laid four eggs in the Sheraton Hamilton nest each season since she started her breeding career in 2001. The adults won't start incubating the eggs full time until the last or second last egg of the clutch has been laid, so don't worry if you see the first egg or two left uncovered in the scrape for a while. This is perfectly normal. The adults will share the responsibility of incubating the eggs for 30 to 35 days. </p> <p>March 27, 2008 - No rest for a Peregrine on a fine spring day. Yesterday morning's fair weather brought workers onto rooftops for required activities and several migrants into the Sheraton air space. Madame X and Surge warned away humans and other birds who ventured too close for comfort. A young hawk hunting pigeons at the Board of Education building across the street drew their fire for some time, then an immature Peregrine chased them and was chased in turn by the pair. Identification of the young stranger was not possible as he didn't stick around long enough. There are no eggs in the scrape yet but Madame X and partner were seen mating. </p> <p>March 25, 2008 - Madame X and Surge (we are pretty sure) are regularly seen at the nest ledge or perched close by. Now that the birds have shifted the focus of their activity to the nest we often see them above King Street on the Standard Life sign (immediately west of the Sheraton) and on the west side of the Stelco Tower. Both vantage points offer unobstructed views of the nest and a clear line of defense against potential intruders. </p> <p>On Saturday morning a senior HCPP monitor reported three adult peregrines downtown. The 'extra' bird may be one of the spring migrants now making their way through our area or possibly a visitor from Burlington, where a pair of adult peregrines are being reported regularly around the nest area at the Burlington Lift Bridge.</p> <p>A hint for locating the peregrines when you are downtown: start at the top of a building and systematically scan back and forth along the straight edges of the roofline and window ledges, working your way down toward ground level. In this manner you will be more likely to spot the 'blip' of a bird contrasted against the straight lines of the man-made surfaces. </p> <p>March 18, 2008 - Madam X and Surge have been very busy on the Sheraton ledges and Standard Life building signs. In addition to sitting side by side, they have also been seen feeding each other. Yesterday they chased back and forth in circles all over the downtown area, noisily calling to each other. These behaviours are all part of normal courting activity for Peregrines, so things seem to be moving along pretty much on schedule. If the weather cooperates we could see eggs in the nest in a week or two.</p> <p>March 10, 2008 - neither rain nor snow nor sleet...... Lead Monitor Audrey Gamble reports: This weekend's icy blast of wintery weather did not dissuade Madame X and her mate from visiting their nest site. On Saturday afternoon both adults were spotted on ledges adjacent to the nest ledge and at 3:30 PM Saturday Madame X was perched on the nest ledge despite the heavy snowfall and gusty winds. At 3:55 PM today both adults were in or on the nest ledge. Stay tuned.</p> <P>Spring 2008 - The adult Peregrines spent the winter of 2007-2008 roosting at various locations around the Hamilton downtown core. They are aggresively defending their nest site on the Sheraton Hamilton hotel. In the next few weeks we will be working to confirm that the two falcons in our skies are still Madame X and Surge.</p> <P>In 2007 Madame X and Surge hatched four chicks. They were stricken by a bacterial infection a few weeks after hatching, and sadly, two chicks did not survive to fledge. When the surviving two were banded in June one was found to need a bit of medical assistance and was removed from the nest for a few weeks, while the other was found to be strong enough to fight off the infection on its own. The surviving pair, named 'Jump Up' and 'Blue Foot', gained strength and went on to become agile masters of the air.</P> <P>Madame X was hatched on a bridge on Pennsylvania Route 309, the Cross-Valley Expressway in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Banded as a hatchling on 7, June 1999 she was known to the falcon watchers in Northeast PA as 'Runaround Sue', a name suggested after she was found running along the expressway guide wall one morning. We are keeping the folks in Pennsylvania posted on Madame X's progress. </p> <P>Hatched and banded in Etobicoke in 2002, Surge spent at least part of the 2004-2005 seasons trying to establish a nest at the Burlington Lift Bridge. In 2006 he replaced the male at the Sheraton nest and has been in Hamilton since. </p> <P>Many birds exhibit a trait called 'site fidelity'. If at least one of a pair that used a nest site in the previous year return, and if there have been no significant physical changes to disturb either the nest itself or the birds generally, they will use the same nest site over and over again, year after year. Peregrine Falcons are known for site fidelity. This will be Madame X's eighth year in Hamilton and Surge's third, and the fourteenth year the same nest site on the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel has been used.</P> <P>To read FalconWatch Reports from previous years, click on the <B>History</B> button above.</P></FONT></BODY> </HTML> </font> <P ALIGN="CENTER"><CENTER><TABLE CELLSPACING="10" BORDER="0" WIDTH="90%"> <TR><TD VALIGN="MIDDLE" align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.hamiltonnature.org/" target="HNC_NEW_WINDOW"><IMG SRC="hamnatbutton.gif" BORDER=0 WIDTH=102 HEIGHT=79 ALT="Hamilton Naturalists' Club HomePage"></A></TD> <TD VALIGN="MIDDLE" align="center">           <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td colspan="4"> <a href="http://www.hwcn.org/" target="_top"><img src="http://www.hwcn.org/images/domhittop.gif" height="55" width="163" border="0" alt="Lynx Hits: 1916, HWCN PPP Hits: 478, Offsite Hits: 257205. 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