Wind Fledges at Nightfall
June 20, 2011 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
A hectic time at William Osler is an understatement of events at this fledge watch. With Wind deciding to fledge at 9:45pm last night and ending up on the low roof near the emergency entrance, we needed to be on site as early as possible to witness her next attempt. Frank and I were here by 6:00am and counted the two youngsters on the nest ledge but there was no sign of Wind. After a couple of searches around the building and perimeter, I decided to sit down and let the parents tell me what I needed to know; where is Wind? Within 10 minutes they had pointed out the general area and I was able to find her in a pine tree on the northeast corner of the building. We took up positions nearby and it wasn’t long before she took flight low to the ground and bumped a first floor window. I was able to corral her into a corner and catch her up. I must say that this is one enormous female not to mention that she has her mother’s temperament!! Paladin Security staff witnessed the rescue and assisted by retrieving the carrier from their office and holding it steady while Wind was placed into it. After a quick exam, she was in security cooling off and awaiting release that night. Back outside Storm and Rain, the other two juveniles, were excitedly flapping about the nest ledge and Storm was feeling braver by the minute to take another flight. At 7:15am, an adult brought food into the southeast corner of the nest ledge for Rain. Storm, who was sitting on the roof retaining wall, was so wound up by the sight of food that he made an attempt for the nest ledge by coming off and back flapping down to a safe landing on the northeast corner. After a frenzied feeding, Storm and Rain retired to the nest tray for a nap. The rest of the day was spent watching Storm take short flights out to the roof and back to the ledge using his “cheater” drop down flight. At 4:55pm Rain decided that she would try her first flight and successfully circled the building and came to rest on the window ledge two floors below the nest ledge. She made a second attempt to gain some elevation and only achieved one floor higher on the same side. The two flights and her efforts to balance on the narrow ledge took enough out of her that she now required a nap!! She spent the rest of the evening right up to nightfall on the window ledge peering in at the people inside.
At nightfall, after a complete health check, Bruce Massey and I took Wind to the rooftop for the release. Upon opening the carrier door, she raced forward and stopped in the doorway of the carrier which she amply filled. She stretched out her wings and every feather on her stood straight up as she defended HER carrier!! I reached in to pull the towel out ( with Wind firmly attached ) and she dove for my hand. She then bolted out and attacked the wall before realizing that she really meant to go after me but by that time I was already making my way through the door into the stairwell. She really is her mother’s daughter!! We will be back early in the morning to make sure that her flight off of the rooftop is a good one.
