A Relaxed Day at William Osler
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Tracy Simpson Reports:
What a difference a day makes. With all of the activity by the juveniles over the past few days, the parents have been standing on their talon tips. Today you could sure see a change in everyone as the young have graduated from phase 1 flying school.
At first light, Ossie was on the east side of the retaining wall on the roof, Tobi was on the southern “H” sign, Hurricane was on his antenna and Chessie was in the tower. At 7am, both adults took off to the south and 10 minutes later, so did Ossie!! Hurricane was making his way back with food, Chessie on his tail, and Ossie flew well off the hospital property to meet them both in the air. Hurricane continued on and out-flew them both to land on the southern “H” with a good sized package for Tobi. She grabbed it off of him and then squealing with her mouth full, turned and started to pluck. Ossie didn’t see the pass off and so continued to chase Hurricane in the air. The two did a brilliant tandem flight/chase around the hospital fefore Ossie realized that for one, Dad had nothing, and two, that he couldn’t keep up to the incredible skill of Hurricane. He aborted the chase and headed straight for sis who was physically concealing the food and at the same time telling everyone she had it. Ossie landed on the sign beside her and two went into their little food fight routine. Both fledglings enjoyed a good feed when all was said and done and the two sat next to each other and promptly both fell asleep.
What made the morning so interesting was that Chessie was much more relaxed. She flew from the tower over to one of the antenna for a moment, then flew down to the nest ledge just below the sleeping chicks. They screamed at her, each with only one eye open, just in case it might get them something. She flew off moments later and landed on the east side of the nest ledge. She made her way down to the nest tray, jumped in onto the edge and took a long nap. Hurricane sat in his favorite spot on the northeastern antenna and napped himself. Marion and Kathy arrived to a chorus of peregrine snores and relieved me for the midday shift. They were joined by the third and final crew of Ontario Stewardship Rangers and the OMNR biologist they are working with. Marion gave them the full training on how and why we Fledge Watch and how to rescue a bird that comes down. Then everyone settled in for some action.
ZZZzzzzzzzzz… …family still sleeping with the odd flight here and there for the bulk of the midday shift. At 2pm, Marion and Kathy handed over control of the ship to Bruce to close off their final full time watch shift of the season. I can’t say enough thank yous to both Marion and Kathy for braving the heat and relieving me so that I could head off to work. They are both amazing troopers and great friends!!
Bruce set up and was settled in for some good afternoon action. ZZZzzzzzzz… …right up until I called at 4pm to say that I was out of work and on my way. That’s when another food package came in to Tobi and of course Ossie was looking for a little snack himself. After eating, the family of four again settled in for more of a quiet time, enjoying the break in the heat we have been experiencing.
After taking care of our educational birds at the CPF Raptor Centre, I met up with Bruce who was feeling the ZZZzzzzz’s himself. Just as he was leaving, Ossie left the tower and made his way over to the nest ledge. There was something a little different about this flight, more speed. He overshot the landing a little but made it none the less. By 8pm, he had flown back to the tower and again had a really good head of speed on him and had to break rather than “J hook” up. I told him to slow down a little but he just ignored me. Tobi now came out of the nest tray where she had been napping and flew over to the tower to join him. With darkness now settling in, the pair of juveniles made their way back to the nest ledge for beddy-time .
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