Hilton Garden Inn; An Unusual Update
February 02, 2013 - International, National and Local News
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Bruce and I made our way next down to the Hilton Garden Inn as this site is inextricably tied to the William Osler Hospital as Casper, the resident male identified here last year, has been seen regularly seen at the Hospital with Chessie as of late.
Upon arrival, I searched all of the usual spots that Casper and Claire, the resident female, hang out on. Nothing. I was driving east on Caroga Drive for another pass around the area and found Casper sitting on a light standard at the end of the road. I pulled over and snapped several pictures while Bruce got a scope view of him. This was clearly Casper. He has a solid black recovery band marked 35 over Y that Bruce was able to confirm. He sat roosting on the light standard for a while and then out of nowhere comes a kestrel that attempts to knock Casper right in the head. Unamused by this, Casper takes off in hot pursuit across the 427 towards the east. He returns in a few minutes and flies up to his favorite roost spot on the Hilton Garden Inn.
Bruce and I alter our positions for a better look at Casper. Up to this point there is no sign of Claire. Not unusual as she tends to use the Hilton more so in the evening. A quick scan of the area and we found the female on the same light standard that Casper had just left. Bruce and I again reposition and I begin to take pictures. In reviewing the images, I can clearly see a bright red blood stain on the undertail feathers of this female near her left leg. This was Chessie. The stain on her undertail feathers confirms without a doubt that this bird was at William Osler half an hour before we located her here. It was quite cold and blustery and for the most part her bands were covered but she did reveal her silver USFW band. Claire is banded black over green with a PURPLE USFW band. This was not Claire but Chessie. Chessie sat for quite some time on the light and then as I dove into my car for a warm up of the fingers ( this always happens to me ) she was off like a shot towards the Holiday Inn across the 427 and we could see her stooping something twice before turning back and flying to our side of the highway. She flew over towards the other Hilton hotel, stooped again and then went low out of sight. Casper didn’t move off of the Garden Inn and remained roosting in his corner. I drove around the neighborhood and found Chessie on a TV style antenna of a one story commercial business that was at best 20 feet off of the ground. She stayed on that antenna until it was too dark to take any more pictures and I left her sitting there looking very uncomfortable and uneasy. I was able to get a shot of her band that confirms that this is indeed Chessie with a black over green 49 / AD. At no time did she approach or land on the Hilton Garden Inn but did keep Casper in her sights.
So, to sum up. Hurricane is not at the William Osler Hospital. Casper is. Now Claire is not at the Hilton Garden Inn. Chessie is. It would appear that two adults from two separate sites have relinquished control of their territories and the two that remain in the area, Casper and Chessie, are working to sort out where they want to be. Bruce and I will be staying on this. Where are Claire and Hurricane? Where will this potential new pairing end up? More questions than answers I’m afraid.
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