Growing Right Before Our Eyes
June 15, 2009 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Today is the first day in the last few that I have been able to spend some time out here at the site and I was amazed to see just how feathered our young friends are. All three juveniles are sporting beautiful brown flight feathers that they are actively testing out. During the entire time I was present, all three young were flapping with vigor; practicing for that first flight that will occur in the days to come. The young have become much more bold in their exploration of the nest ledge and are now spending much of their time around the corner on the southeast side, the very corner that mother bird was originally herding them away from. Kids, they never listen!! O’Connor, the resident female, has been keeping an eye on them none-the-less from her favourite perch on the hydro structure ( her own private watchtower ) directly east of the nest ledge. While on the ledge, the juveniles are still receiving food from O’Connor as her and the resident male Hurricane continue to provide for them. After the sun had completely set and I was straining to see the three brown babies against the dark background of the building, mom did a fly around of the building at ledge height and seeing that all was clear and safe, settled in for the night on the southeast corner of the building with her chicks.