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Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:44 pm
Posts: 25870
Location: Milton, Pa.
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Madame X cosies up to the new falcon in town
Feb. 23, 2015
6 hours ago
Our hero — he goes by the name Surge — has been ruling the roost downtown for many years now.
He's been a good partner to his longtime mate — we'll call her Madame X — and a dedicated father to his kids.
But he's getting on in years, and has reached that certain age when some young gun comes along and decides it's time to try to knock the incumbent off his perch.
That day came on Jan. 24.
Details are sketchy but the fight likely started somewhere around the Sheraton hotel and proceeded north toward the waterfront.
In the process, the two males probably raised quite a ruckus, too. It was a fight over territory, you see, and there could only be one victor.
The battle ended steps away from the HMCS Haida. Someone spotted the old warrior lying injured on the ground and called the authorities.
At that moment, it became clear: Surge's reign as the downtown's top bird was over.
There's a new peregrine falcon in town.
"Madame X has a new suitor," said Mike Street, a senior monitor with the Hamilton Community Peregrine Project's Falconwatch.
"It's a mystery newcomer," Street added. "Hopefully soon the mystery will be solved."
When Surge was found injured, he was taken to the Owl Foundation in Vineland and then transported to the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph for an examination.
And just exactly how does one approach an injured falcon?
"Very carefully," Street deadpanned.
The fight with the new male peregrine left Surge with a cracked beak, a punctured nostril and a scratch on his eye.
"We just figured 'OK, there's been a territorial fight,' which is not unusual," Street explained. "Since then, we've been keeping an eye out downtown to see if a second bird had appeared."
Sure enough, the cameras mounted atop the Sheraton hotel showed two peregrines together last week at the nest ledge — Madame X and the new male, presumably, that emerged victorious in the skirmish with Surge.
Some technical difficulties have prevented the project's volunteers from being able to zoom the camera in to identify the newcomer from its leg bands.
As for Surge, he continues his convalescence at the Owl Foundation.
He's 13 years old, which makes him something of a senior citizen for a peregrine in the wild. The poor guy, they've had to cut up his quail for him.
"The beak is like a fingernail or a toenail, it's the same material," said Street. "It's still healing but it's healing slowly.
"The concern at the moment is that while it's healing, it's still a bit weak and if he chomped into something hard and it dislocated the beak, he might wind up never being able to eat properly again."Sadly, Surge's days as a downtown resident are likely over.
"Assuming Surge's beak heals, there will be a question of where to release him," said Street. "Obviously we don't want to bring him back downtown and release him into a fight. We'll worry about that when the time comes."
There are also concerns about Madame X, no spring falcon herself at 16 years of age.
"But she's a fighter," Street said.
"She really is a tough old bird."
_________________
"The time to protect a species is while it is still common"
Rosalie Edge
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Founder
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and there's still no guarantee he can get his site back..geeeeeeeez...we may have to get used to a new male here...fingers crossed that this is gonna work out peacefully!!
