Canada Square Report June 14; A Great Day To Watch
June 14, 2012 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Tracy Simpson Reports:
I was out earlier than usual today as Marion was joining me for the start of the fledge watch.
Haven was doing her darnedest to have one of the eyases fledge but they were not complying. She would fly onto the ledge, pause, be mobbed by the young and would fly off. No food!!! After about the third try they became aware of her intent and just stayed put. There was no rush to mom. As Marion said, *no lunch, no love!*
Stormin was around for the first half hour or so then he disappeared.
Haven was persistent and constantly tried to get one of her babies airborne. She would do fly-bys, *up and overs* of Canada Square and more fly-bys but to no avail. At one point she landed on the ledge and the eyases stayed where they were whilst she lectured them!! She gave them a lengthy talk and must have *chuk-chuked* about fifteen times. Then she flew off and was back a minute later and gave them another lecture. At another point she flew onto the ledge, moved out of sight to the back for minutes before flying off again. When she was between Canada Square and the *black building* she dropped something which fluttered to the ground. Leftovers, perhaps, from earlier feedings?
In between all Haven’s trips to and from the ledge at least one youngster was either sitting, exercising or watching the one who was exercising. When I first arrived I saw all three young but after that it was usually one or two and sometimes the head of the third one.
All of the activity was Haven’s. Stormin flew in at about 3:30, stayed for five minutes then left.
There were window washers busy on the CIBC building across from Canada Square but Haven seemed unperturbed by them until 6:13 when Haven let loose a volley of bad language. We all thought she was yelling at the window washers but then Marion saw Stormin land on the roof of the black building over the TTC garage and deduced Haven was either asking Stormin to account for his time away or she was scolding him for not bringing in food! He did not hang around long. Haven just missed catching a bird almost over our heads and then gave us a private exhibition on *how a peregrine flies*. Airborne poetry in motion!!!
At a later stage we had both adults in the air over Canada Square and near the condos just proving to the eyases how easy flight really is. I must say they do make it look effortless! Stormin naturally disappeared.
He was back an hour later, flew onto the ledge, upset all three eyases and flew off once more. He circled Canada Square and then flew to the north west corner of Rio-Can where he remained hidden from Haven for about forty minutes before flying off.
Haven made several more attempts to coax flight from her young but in vain, until the second to last attempt. She made her usual fly-in-wait-for an-eyas-to-approach-and-then-off-again flight and after blinking my eyes there was one baby on the level immediately below the nest!!!! He looked as surprised as I felt. He looked around, craning his neck, checked over the side and saw what a long way down it was, looked at his brothers looking at him from above and, I am sure, wondered how the dickens he landed where he was!!
Anyway he was resourceful. He flapped the length of his level, ran the length of his level and found he was still where he was. So that did not work. Then he had my heart pounding in my throat as he backed up towards the edge – yes he walked backwards!! I thought he was going to go over but he turned in time and walked another step or two, looked down then back at the ledge and made up his mind. He was going to fly UP to the ledge where his brothers were. He was right on the edge at this point, had his wings slightly opened for flight, walked a step or two forward, *shivered* his wings in anticipation of flight and flew. Unfortunately he did not gain much height and did not make it UP to the ledge. (Sorry, *shivered* is the only word to describe his wing action).
He was a game little chap. After nine attempts Haven flew onto the level but distant from him and he ran to her only to have his mom fly off just as soon as he reached her. He stopped!!! He knew what happened the last time she did that and was darned sure it was not going to happen again.
By this time dusk had turned to dark and the other two brothers had bedded themselves down. Haven was in her nightly position above the nest and I thought it would be safe to leave. So at 9:30 I left. By this time the youngster had made twenty two attempts to get back to his brothers.
I knew at 8:30 when I was cold and hungry that it was a mistake to *wait five more minutes to see if Haven feeds them*. Big mistake! Oh yes, and Lance I hold you personally responsible for the activities which occurred AFTER you left!!! You said something like *I am probably going to miss the big moment or all the fun* or words similar!!! Well, you were correct! Something happened!!!! Good to see you again Lance, I think.
Good to see Maggie and Herb, as well. The members of 53 Division also continue to show their interest when leaving the station. Over the last few days it has been good to see that the interest continues from the people in the neighbourhood. There are still new people asking what we are watching. It is very gratifying to see their amazement when they are told *peregrine falcons*. So keep on coming folks.
Lyn
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