Click an image to view full size in a new window. ALL FOUR CHICKS SAFE
Balfour on Art Gallery Saturday, June 18, 2022 - Just a quick update to let everyone know that Dundurn has been located, perched on a third floor window ledge of the Stelco Tower, and Balfour was located on the south edge of the art gallery roof (photo). So with Auchmar and Wynnstay pancaked at opposite ends of the nest ledge, that is all of them, safe and sound. THREE CHICKS FLY! ONE RESCUED!
One moment, Dundurn is there...
...and the next, he is gone! Friday, June 17, 2022 - Falconwatch Coordinator Nathan Lewis reports: An amazing day started off calmly enough, with chicks up on the nest ledge early, flapping a bit, and being fed a couple of times. The adults resumed their flights around the Sheraton and close by to the nest ledge, encouraging the chicks to fly. We don't know if this worked, or if he just slipped, but, either way, at 1:13 Dundurn left the ledge, with his siblings staring down after him (photos). As usual for a first flight, it was generally downwards, and Dundurn first tried to land on the side of the Standard Life building, but soon landed somewhere at the courtyard level between Standard Life and the Sheraton. As Falcon Watchers were headed over there to find him, he was spotted making another flight. This time slightly upwards, out across King Street, over the top of the art gallery, towards the roof of the Hamilton Convention Centre. He was finally located, perched on the southern roof edge of that building, where he stayed for the next couple of hours. As the afternoon progressed, the wind picked up, and at times was quite gusty. At 4:16, the three remaining chicks were perched at the western edge of the ledge again, and another gust swept over them. Wynnstay seemed to be perfectly fine with it, but Balfour and Auchmar both leaned into that gust, stretching their wings, and then suddenly both took off at the exact same moment. This makes us wonder if one or both of them made the deliberate decision to fly, or if this was an amazing coincidence of two falcons slipping at the same time. Both flights were again downwards. Balfour flew more strongly, and was seen headed west, following an adult. But Auchmar, being larger and heavier, came right down to the ground on the sidewalk near Standard Life. She was quickly rescued, and taken to the Owl Foundation for a check-up. She was found to be in perfect health, with no injuries or concerns, so she was returned to the Sheraton roof later in the evening, after which she made a short hopping flight back to the nest.
Dundurn about to take his third flight Meanwhile, around 5:18, Dundurn decided to try another flight. He could only be seen on camera at that point (photo), and so while we saw him take-off, we don't know where he headed next. He first disappeared from view into the courtyard on the south side of the Convention Centre, but again, by the time Falcon Watchers got there, he was gone. There was one more observation, about an hour later, of a chick flying up from close to ground level towards that roof, but by this point we couldn't be sure if that was Dundurn or Balfour. Balfour was spotted late in the evening, perched on a low chimney pipe in the plaza behind the Sheraton. Rather obviously flying well to have gotten there. I personally would like to thank all the volunteers that were here today, you all were a big help. Also I would like to send out my thank yous to the Front Desk Security/Management for use of Stelco Tower 20th floor. And thank you for being so patient with us today. As always, the Front Desk Staff / Security / Engineering at Sheraton were great. We are all very appreciative.
Info from the site.
|