New Female at William Osler… …O’Connor No Longer in Charge
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Tracy Simpson Reports:
This is one report that I never thought I would have to write. It would seem that our iron lady out at the William Osler Hospital has been replaced.
I stopped in at the site yesterday to check in on the progress of O’Connor and Hurricane towards laying eggs. I had hoped, as I was driving up Hwy. 27, that when I got there I would find eggs on the monitor. I could see, as I sat in traffic, a female perched on the southeast corner of the nest ledge and within seconds the male had flown up to join her. I pulled into the hospital and found the pair on the nest ledge; her on the corner and him on the nest tray. As I began to snap pictures I realized that this was not O’Connor. That sense of dread was confirmed when she gave me a look at her band colours. The current situation was then made crystal clear when a minute later, the male flew in and they mated.
My first order of business was to identify the male and I was able to get a picture of him in the tower that also captured his band number. The male is without a doubt Hurricane wearing a solid black recovery band 5 over X. I then turned my attention to this new female but by this point it was getting late in the evening and the “flight show” was starting.
I had to ask myself, what does it take to oust a bird like O’Connor. It would take another large, fast, agile bird with the attitude of a rhinocerous. This bird was definately last year’s hatch, her chest completely streaked from nares to navel. So bird, show me what you can do. Well… …she did. The flight demonstration put on by Hurricane and this new female was unbelievable. The two were displaying around the building at lightning speeds as they circled, then dove and kited in tandem above the roof. It was something else to watch. Right in the middle of this I spot another peregrine moving towards the building and off goes this new girl in pursuit. It was definately another female she was chasing and she continued the direct ”escort” until they were both dots in my scope.
While I can’t be entirely sure what has happened here, I do know that there is a new female on site that I have yet to identify. This would certainly explain the lack of eggs to this point as this site has not only experienced a battle between males but now another amongst the females. On a professional level I know that these battles are the law of the peregrine world in spring and nest site turnovers are bound to happen. On a personal level, O’Connor and Hurricane were my favourite couple and I will miss her antics at this nest site. She kept me on my toes and she made me shake my head at least once a day. She was the most fun to watch and I will miss her.
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