William Osler Wow Factor!! Hurricane and Chessie Just Awesome!
May 26, 2013 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Last night on my way to the Raptor Centre, I decided to pop in on Chessie and Hurricane for a look at what they are up to these days. For the first time since this site was colonized by Hurricane in 2006, the William Osler Hospital has successfully hatched four chicks which I am sure has Hurricane just elated. When I pulled in I initially didn’t see either adult but it wasn’t long before the air show began!! All I can say is that Hurricane is over the moon happy. For just over an hour, he did not stop hunting. He would land on the corner, look down at his newly hatched family and was immediately off. You could imagine his thoughts as he looked down the ledge to see 4 chicks and a massive female mate all waiting for him to get a move on. He flew 8 hunting forays after which I stopped counting and he was successful in three of those attempts. He plucked one bird out of the air so fast I couldn’t see it and also brought home two impressively massive pigeons from behind the hospital. Chessie was less active but equally as amazing bringing home one pigeon of her own and stooping another above me that narrowly escaped. All of this in very gusty conditions that at one point almost knocked Chessie right on her face as she sat on the eastern “H” sign. Hurricane on the other hand made it look easy, as if there wasn’t a breeze to be had. When Chessie went tail over tea kettle Hurricane flew up to the “H” on the opposite end and looked at her as if to ask, “Are you alright dear?”
Most of the hunts were right over the parking lot above my head and were so spectacular and inspiring. Those flights were actually too close for me to photograph but I did manage to get some shots of the overjoyed parents as they filled each and every “H” sign with cache after cache. We look forward to the new family emerging from the tray and becoming active on the ledge in the weeks to come. This is going to be awesome!!
