HAMILTON, ONTARIO ~ 2010

SusanE · **Posted:** Thu Dec 31, 2009 1:11 pm

PLEASE START YOUR 2010 HAMILTON POSTS HERE!

Cam Link:

Nest location: The 18th floor of the Sheraton Hotel in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (about 50 miles or 80 km SW of Toronto).

---->Surge (male)
---->Madame X (female)

kittenface · **Posted:** Tue Mar 02, 2010 3:55 pm

HAMILTON

THE SIXTEENTH NESTING SEASON IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!
http://falcons.hamiltonnature.org/
March 2, 2010 - Our sixteenth nesting season of Peregrines at the Sheraton!

The adult Peregrines spent the winter of 2009-2010 roosting at various locations around the Hamilton downtown core. They have been aggressively defending their nest site high above the King Street side of the Sheraton. We are now looking to confirm whether both of last year's adult birds, Madame X and Surge are returning, or whether a new adult has replaced either of the two. This page will be updated as any Falcon-news is received.

In 2009 Madame X and Surge hatched four chicks, three females, named Durand, Gleig and Strathcona, and one male, named Dixon. All were named for Hamilton waterfalls. All four chicks fledged successfully. Two chicks needed rescuing by the Hamilton FalconWatch during the first few weeks before they gained their strength. You can read more about last year's chicks and their exploits in the History section.

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.

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.

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 ninth year in Hamilton and Surge's fourht, and the fifteenth year the same nest site on the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel has been used.

obxbarb · **Posted:** Tue Mar 02, 2010 6:58 pm

Thanks Kitten! I've seen falcons here every day, so they are obviously active. This is such a nice big nest for falcons, its no wonder they are successful, not to mention the experienced parents.

SusanE · **Posted:** Wed Mar 03, 2010 10:50 am

Thanks for posting the update, KF. :mrgreen:

SusanE · **Posted:** Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:46 am

Great catch, Carly!

ljames · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:46 pm

SusanE · **Posted:** Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:05 pm

bev. · **Posted:** Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:44 pm

no transmitters ,so this is good

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 64399

Wizzz · **Posted:** Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:20 pm

This standard life building in the back looks dangerous....!

SusanE · **Posted:** Sun Mar 21, 2010 6:52 pm

That's great news! Thanks carly.

obxbarb · **Posted:** Mon Mar 22, 2010 8:15 pm

Well, congratulations Carly!! That's one less thing for you to worry about. Wow, changing 3 times with nobody knowing. That's incredible.

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 64399

According to the website, Madam X laid her first egg today around 10:30 am!!!

bev. · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 5:46 pm

Great news :thumbegg:

SusanE · **Posted:** Fri Apr 02, 2010 5:57 pm

Blog Post & Photo:

April 2, 2010 - Around noon yesterday we were able to see that Madame X is now incubating two eggs. Although the time spread between the first and second egg has been longer than normal, this may only indicate the change in the weather. Madame X and Surge are not used to balmy temperatures in late March and early April! The photo at left clearly shows Madame X and the two eggs at 12:11 yesterday. While the adults' shadows may block the camera's view of the eggs, they are easily visible by telescope from the Stelco Tower when the adult moves away from the scrape (which seems even deeper this year than last). We can also report that a juvenile Peregrine Falcon keeps dropping in, landing on various buildings and hanging around until Surge chases him/her off. Is this one of last year's chicks come back to help Mom and Dad? (This is known to happen with Crows.) Stay tuned!

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 64399

There are at least 3 eggs here now...#3 laid sunday...

Moose · **Posted:** Fri Apr 09, 2010 1:17 pm

Hello
I'm up the road from Madame X and Surge in the Town of Ancaster and prior to nesting in March these two can be seen flying about even in my backyard chasing birds from the feeders. I've been following the Falcons here in Hamilton for over a decade now at times downtown on Falcon Watch even. A couples days ago on the 7th about this time I saved the image and look and judge for yourself as I think I'm seeing a 4th egg even. Time will tell but today Madame X will be getting a break from the weather as it's rained the last 5 days here.

catwoman · **Posted:** Fri Apr 09, 2010 3:15 pm

Hi Moose and welcome to BCAW! How nice to see falcons in your backyard (although I wouldn't want them chasing my backyard birds)! I agree that it looks like there could be 4 eggs in the nest now. :grwelcom

Beth · **Posted:** Fri Apr 09, 2010 3:30 pm

Hello and welcome Moose...

Super photos, thanks!

SusanE · **Posted:** Fri Apr 09, 2010 3:37 pm

Welcome, Moose :hithere:

It is so nice to have a local near Hamilton here at BCAW. Thanks for your observations, and yes it sure does look like there might be 4 eggs. Looking forward to your local reports in the weeks to come. :grin:

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HAMILTON, ONTARIO ~ 2010

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