!!! Euro and Windward’s First Flights:We Have Liftoff!
June 10, 2012 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Frank Butson Reports:
It turned out that last night I was seeing things. It was infact O’Connor who had flown from the nestledge late in the evening.
This morning at 7am, Kathy was on the edge of her seat when young Euro finally did make his first flight. He flew very well and kept his altitude. He had a long flight which had the highlights of him pushing off of the 2nd condo building, clinging to a nestbuilding window and without panicking come to rest on a ledge on the Aberfoyle side of the Sunlife Centre at the nestledge level. As the morning passed, Euro moved a few times including to the roof of the Sunlife Financial Centre, before rejoining his siblings on the nestbox at 140pm. There was a rather touching reunion with his sisters where they touched beaks. I’d really love to know what gets said when one arrives back to the ledge? The stories they must tell.
Glad that he was able to fly so well,things slowed down till about 4pm. Thats when our 2nd fledge occured,believed to be Windward. She gave me a fit by flying very high and out of sight, to the northeast. Jack flew with her the whole way so it was of some comfort that he knew where Windward had flown. I did a quick search along Aberfoyle, before calling Tracy who was having her own issues down at our King St nestsite. She would come and begin a search by car as soon as she was relieved at King St. I saw Jack fly back to the Sunlife, from the direction he had followed Windward in.
In the meantime, back on the ledge Regatta,Olympia and Euro had been fed a small food package caught and prepared by Jack and served by O’Connor. There was plenty of ledge running and flapping. I had saw a bird fly into the ledge. I checked what I thought was very closely and believed it to be O’Connor. I went down to the intersection at Aberfoyle and Bloor to see into the nestledge more properly and was unsure of exactly who was there. Was it O’Connor and 3 juvies or was it 4 juveniles.
A local resident who has joined me a few times Bob, who lives at The Kingsway On The Park came out and was chatting with me. When I described Windwards flight path he went for a walk around the various condos in front of The Kingsway On The Park and in the park as well. He described where he’d heard a few “smaller” birds calling. A Robin and a Blue Jay were giving heck to something, so Bob suggested further investigation. Tracy arrived just after Bob left and I gave her the trajectory that Windwards flight was. She pulled away in search of Windward. I studied the nestledge and within moments of Tracys departure I thought I had 4 juveniles on the ledge. I stared hopefully as I had 3 juveniles together and Yes!! a 4th was running the ledge flapping..clearly a juvenile behavior. It had indeed been Windward who had snuck in earlier. I made a call to Tracy and told her to abort her search. She came back somewhat skeptical and then verified that all 4 young Peregrines were indeed on the ledge. That was a relief to us both.
I was very fortunate today, to have Bob, Ken, Jo and Tom who all live locally and took a great deal of interest in the falcons. It was a pleasure to share even a brief moment with each of you chatting about “your” falcons. Thanks for caring and helping me get through a terribly hot, hectic day. The support that CPF gets from local residents,business owners and patrons and of course from Sunlife Financial Centre staff and management as well as Kingsway On The Park staff is so heartening and important to us doing what we do. Thanks to you all!
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