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Hi Ontbirders:
Just an update on the family of 4 Peregrine Falcon
young at Niagara Falls, Canada. They are all doing well and very active.
I believe Peregrines have been nesting in the Niagara Falls area since the late
1990's.
This is the second year in a row that a pair of Peregrine Falcons have nested
on the Canadian
side of Niagara Falls. A nest was built on the vertical wall of the old
decommisioned hydro building.
In previous years the Peregrines nested on the American side of the
Falls on Goat Island.
This year, 4 young were born. The young Peregrines are still learning to hunt
and can be found quite
frequently on the roof of the decommisioned hydro building. If you look over
the railing you can see them perched on the roof, either resting, grooming,
eating or fighting with each other.
In addition to the numerous gulls, I saw pigeons, sparrows, cormorants and a
black-crowned night-heron
flew by as well.
The young Peregrines are putting on quite a show. IAmazing aerial displays,
peregrine chasing peregrine, sometimes 3 together, climbing high up above
where we're standing on the sidewalk/walkway and then diving after prey or
each other, over and over again. Sometimes they are at eye-level and
sometimes very close to the walkway. On 3 occasion a Peregrine perched
within 6 feet of me on a grassy ledge just 6 feet below the railings
overlooking the gorge.
On the first day I was talking to someone while
looking downstream when a gull at eye-level screamed and moved sideways
quickly. Moments later a Peregrine Falcon flew by like a missile with its
back to me headed right in the direction of the gull. The falcon missed
that time. Actually, the falcons had more misses than actual catches.
Many of their attempts look more like practice than anything else at this
stage in their development including their mock attacks on one another.
They're spectacular to watch though.
Admission is free as the Falls are open 24 hours a
day. You will need to find a place to park. I like to park at the Rapidsview
parking lot for $10. For the price you can take a free shuttle right to the
Falls.
I have included some photos of the Peregrine Falcons
to give an idea of what you can see (all taken from the walkway/sidewalk
overlooking the Niagara River Gorge from the Canadian side). The American
Falls
are on the left and the Canadian Horseshoe Falls is on the right. There is
also an aviary nearby which may be worth a visit. Happy birding.
Peregrine and Ring-billed gull with beautiful green Niagara River Gorge below
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/100123247/original
Aerial tangle over the Falls.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/100125869/original
I have a few more photos at the following website. Thanks for looking.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/some_recent_shots
W.H.
Ottawa, Ontario.
Directions:
When you face the Niagara gorge and Falls from the Canadian side, you have
the American Falls on the left and the Canadian Horseshoe Falls on the
right. Right in between these 2 Falls, if you look down over the railing
next to the sidewalk/walkway overlooking the Falls you will see a
rectangualr shaped flat area more than 100 feet below you. This is the old
decomissioned hydro building's roof. The roof now has plants growing on top
and 4 resident Peregrine Falcon young.
>From the east, drive along the 401 west and take the Hamilton/QEW turn-off.
Look for signs to Niagara Falls. I basically got off the exit near the
Lundy tourist area. From Lundy drive I drove up and turned right on Stanley
and then left at Murray which takes you right down to the Falls (it's as far
as you can drive to the edge of the Falls area). From there turn right and
continue past the Dufferin Islands to the Rapidsview parking lot which cost
$10. Included in the price is a free shuttle service that takes you back to
the Falls. Or you can select another parking lot of your choice as there
are a few of them in the area.
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