Ravens @Unwin Nest - Request for Sightings

[Trillian Flummox]

As many of you know there is a pair of Common Ravens nesting on one of the smoke stacks at the Portland Energy Centre along Unwin Avenue near the Leslie Spit. There is now a group of naturalists who are trying to monitor the success of this breeding pair, but they need your help. It would be greatly appreciated if you would record any observations of these Ravens on this thread. Please include the date and approx. time of your sightings. Ian Sturdee will read your posts and add them to his data collection.

Thanks Everyone!  -Kris Ito

p.s. If you are wondering exactly where the nest is, look for a set of shorter, twin smoke stacks located between the two taller ones. The nest is on the right-hand stack, toward the right-hand side of the highest walkway.

[cosmo3667]

deleted my post

[sturdee]

I am the person collecting observations of the Ravens nesting. We have some pretty good evidence now that they are laying eggs and may already have completed egg laying.
This morning, before dawn, a Raven left the nest, which is an indication it was on the nest all night, a good sign. We also discovered today that a spotting scope placed at the entrance to the Leslie Spit can actually see the head and tail of a Raven on the nest- it is far away enough that the view is "flat".
If you have a scope, try it out and let us know if you can or cannot see it. If you do not have a scope, close-in observations are still important because the scope view is too far away to see the Raven carrying food.
Any help you can give us would be greatly appreciated, especially on the weekends when our own coverage is spotty. Remember, lack of seeing anything is still important so please let us know with times. Thanks a bunch.

[mr.sharp-photo]

Yesterday (Wednesday) a raven flew through the wet woods at 8:30 AM.
Later, it flew towards the building with the smoke stacks and perched on the east wall for a while at 10:30 AM.

Today, Margaret reported seeing a raven fly by at 8:00ish.
I didn't observe it.

[Trillian Flummox]

April 11
9:45 am - One Raven on the nest, only the head was visible
10:00 am - Croaking loudly, one chased a Red-tailed Hawk over the woods, attacking it several times in flight. Both flew into the trees where the hawk tried to take shelter; the pursuit continued from branch to branch until I lost sight of them.
11:00 am - One observed on the roof of the energy centre just below the nest. It appeared to be picking at something at its feet and was then seen holding something white in its beak. It then flew off behind the building and I was unable to see if it returned to the nest.
12:30 pm - One seen flying low over the large piles of rubble east of the nest.

-kris

[sturdee]

At 7:30 this morning Raven seen on nest by Don Johnston with spotting scope.

[nana]

At 2:09 this afternoon a Raven was in a tree down near the entrance to the Harbour SIde Marina/Wet Woods. It was pulling at small branches above its head. It flew further over towards the checkin gate on the road and sat in another tree for a few minutes. It then flew back towards the nest site but I lost sight of it. It didn't carry anything in its beak.
On occasion I could hear a Raven calling from up near the nest site until 3:30 when I left the Wet Woods.

[Trillian Flummox]

April 12th, 4:30 pm & 6:00 pm - one raven observed on the nest; just able to see its head poking up

[paul_reeves]

April 13th one Raven left the Portland Energy Centre (I assume) around 11:15am and headed east over Unwin. Some time after 3:00pm (I forgot to check the time) I saw one heading back to the Centre but didn't see if it actually landed in there.

[Trillian Flummox]

April 14th - No sight or sound during my morning visit to the Wet Woods. However at about 11:45 am, on the way home I spotted a Raven above the Tim Hortons at Leslie & Lakeshore, being mobbed by at least 6 Grackle and a couple of Starlings. Poor guy, they were quite relentless - guess now he knows how the Red-tail feels. - Kris Ito

[Fireweed]

I don't know if other sightings of Ravens are requested but:

On April 15 around noon I saw a Raven on top of a telephone pole at Lakeshore and BROWN'S LINE.
It was calling in a high-pitched kind of croak.
Flew off after about 5 minutes from when I had noticed it.

[paul_reeves]

April 16th, 3:40pm. I was watching a Red-tailed Hawk hunting a bunny when a Raven came flying in and told him to get lost and an argument ensued. About five minutes later both were continuing their "discussion" heading north on Leslie over the streetcar barn construction. About 4:00 the Raven returned and headed back to the power station.

[sturdee]

Thanks everyone for your posts. For those who use their scope please post even if you do not see anything. Each time I have checked this week there has been a Raven on the nest.
I also checked on two days before dawn to see if a Raven came off the nest as it became light. In both cases it did. Thus it probably spent the night on the nest.

[vivekgk]

April 18th-1:47 pm- Two ravens observed on the roof just below the nest.
                6:40 pm- One bird flying east of Unwin Street-calling constantly.

[paul_reeves]

April 20th I saw one Raven flying west to east over the parking lot of Ashbridges Bay at 9:30am.