Huge Surprise at Etobicoke Sun Life; New Resident Female
May 14, 2012 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
It came as a huge shock when Mark Nash came by the CPF Raptor Centre with a ton of pictures he had just taken of the family at the Etobicoke Sun Life nest site during a feeding and we noticed that both adults were banded. For the past 11 years, this site has been home to an unbanded adult female that we have dubbed Angel. It would appear that Mark was able to capture a picture clearly showing a Black over Green recovery band on her left leg and a purple USFW band on her right leg indicating she is of midwest American origins.
In the early spring during courtship, Angel was positively identified as the current resident female with Jack, the long standing resident male hatched in 2002 at the Mississauga Executive Centre. There were no observations of a territorial battle, interlopers or a change in adults so once the pair entered the incubation phase of the breeding season, the female spent most of her time in the nest tray. I visited recently to confirm the first hatch of the season for the site and she did not budge from her duties in brooding her newly hatched young. It wasn’t until this recent feeding of her four hatchlings that we were able to clearly denote the change.
I have yet to get a clear look at her band numbers so that we can put a name to a face of this new mystery female. With her arrival comes the promise of 4 new hatchlings in 2012 and hopefully many more to come. I will hopefully have her identified for you very shortly so check back soon!!
