!!! Quest and Kendal Get a New Nest Box!!!
October 19, 2011 - Toronto - Don Mills
Tracy Simpson Reports:
This past Sunday, a great team of folks gathered together at the 220 Duncan Mill Road nest site to install a new nest box for Quest and Kendal!! As we organized our equipment and efforts, we looked for the adults on the surrounding buildings and noticed that both of them were not in the area. While Marion and Frank manned the camera in the Harlequin offices across the street, Mark, Bruce and I carried the new box over to the nest building where we joined the two awesome gentlemen from the Solar Window Washing company. A quick trip upstairs to the roof level and in no time we were tied off and ready to go!!
The removal of the old tray and installation of the new box, complete with roof, landing platform and fresh gravel, could not have gone any smoother!! For this successful event we have so many people to thank. Paul Melady at Berkley Property Management Inc., the Board of Directors of MTCC 918 and the staff that manage the building have been wonderful supporters, allowing us access to their building and roof to make the exchange. Donna Hayes, Patricia Cake and all of the amazing staff at Harlequin Enterprises Ltd. for graciously allowing us access to their suites to monitor the installation and take photographs ( they are coming very soon!! ). The two awesome gentlemen from Solar Window Washing that did what would be for me impossible; headed over the edge and down to the nest ledge for the tray / box swap out. Last but never least, the volunteers with the CPF that took the pictures, carried the gear, built the box and hauled it up the stairs; Marion, Mark, Bruce and Frank!!
It would seem that the efforts that everyone has made is beginning to now pay off. Today both Quest and Kendal attended the site and were sitting on the concrete pieces that extend from the building; Kendal above and Quest level with the nest ledge. They sat for over an hour on these perches that were one pillar to the right of the new nest box. Neither bird showed any concern about the change in scenery as they both sat preening the day away. After about an hour, one of the adults decided it was time to check this new house out and landed on the nest ledge no more than a foot or two away from their new home. We believe that it was Kendal that took this first tentative step towards “home ownership” and sat looking over the new digs!! It will be interesting to see which of the pair will enter the box first as Quest was born and raised in a box in Rochester, New York and at one time was squabbling with other females at other nest sites for THEIR box!! We have no doubt that Quest and Kendal will take on to and enjoy their new home and hopefully raise many a family in it. Congratulations Quest and Kendal on the new upgrade!!
