Liberty Still At Home
June 14, 2009 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Linda Woods Reports:
The past two days have been crazy with three juveniles in the air.
One juvie had taken flight and flew south along York St., about 20 stories up. As the bird came to the intersection of King and York Streets, it flew into Standard Life Building, with it’s the gold tinted windows. The bird attempted to land on the window pane. It slid down the glass about two stories, and was bumped off the glass by another window frame and launched into the air, loosing altitude and continuing west along King St. By the time I got to the intersection, I had lost track of it., but it did maintain the lower height . A search of the area turned up nothing, but a very relaxed bird sitting on the Starbucks at Adelaide St. I wasn’t sure if this was the same bird but it was suspect.
Yesterday we had three accounted for until 8:00p.m. when they started the peregrine watusui and then we could only find one. And she was an easy find, for she hadn’t left the nest ledge.
Liberty remains home bound at this time. She occasionally has bursts of flapping and some screaming, but I think she is content to have the place to herself. (more leg room in the box)
This morning, after day light, Bruce and Harry had counted three with one still AWOL. All three birds stayed put for most of the day. Liberty remaining on the nest. Osler we assume, for he enjoys his jaunts between the Sheraton roof top, 390 Bay St., the Hilton Hotel and 130 Adelaide. And Stormin who likes the intersection of York and Adelaide.
The fourth bird remained elusive ( Sandy-Links ) who was last seen attempting to return to the nest ledge. at 8p.m. Friday night and missed the landing.
Today, Zoe and myself relieved Harry and Bruce for the day. We had three juvies in sight and accounted for, one on 120 Adelaide, one on the nest and one on the Dominion of Canada Insurance Company on the south side of Adelaide Street, between York St. and University Ave.
All afternoon, I thought I could faintly hear juvie screaming as Zoe and I sat in the courtyard terrace of 130 Adelaide. But then again who could hear anything over the roar of tour buses, air conditioning fans, exhausts fans, helicopters and the events in the area.( After 8 days of peregrine watching, everything sounds like a juvie screaming.)
Paul came on site to relieve Zoe, and I filled him in on the days activities.
About 7:00 p.m the two juvies started flying. Osler back and fourth from 130, 120 Adelaide to the Hilton. And the second ( unidentified as yet ) from the insurance building, through the Hilton Courtyard and back again.
It was then I heard the screaming again. Paul confirmed that the bird on the Dominion Of Canada Insurance Company was not moving it’s lips at the time I was hearing the screaming. The tall buildings, I thought, may be the sound was reverberating of the walls like a megaphone and coming out the south end of the building. I took walk south on York St and the screaming was louder. I radioed the screaming to Paul who could not hear it from the Corner of Adelaide and York St. He said the the bird he had in view was not moving.
Paul and I switched positions and moments later, Paul discoveredi the missing juvie. I believe this is the bird that took the brush off the Standard Life Building. This bird was tucked in the narrow ledge and absolutely hidden. Thank goodness for the screaming. I was also very aware that the screaming could bring in the adults. As I am always careful now to look over my shoulder when searching out a screaming juvie.
Did you know the adults can chase you down a street as well off a neighbouring roof top? Yup , they can and they do.
The bird on Pearl St. needs to be observed, this is a tight corner boarded by tall buildings with reflective glass. Liberty is still unfledged, Osler is doing well, and the bird on Starbucks, whom I think is Stormin has strong, but low flights in this area.
