!!! On my goodness, another day of all days!
June 21, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
Mark Nash Reports:
June 21st - 2013
You wouldn’t believe me even if I had the energy and time to get it all written down! I can hardly believe what we have all just been through in the last 96 hours!!
In short, both of the young fledglings at the Duncan Mill road nest site are still both alive, and a little healthier, wealthier, and hopefully wiser! They have survived to live another day, and as the old saying goes, what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger,, - (or something like that) - I think?.
Carina successfully rescued after colliding with the window and Luna flying like a pro!!!
Story to follow.
Today started out like most days during the fledge watch, alarm goes off at 4:00am, hit the snooze five or six times, and finally into the shower, shave utilizing the wet razor, while drinking the morning coffee simultaneously. Find some clean cloths in the darkness, grab your stuff and rush out the door.
On the way into the fledge watch, you grab another coffee at Tims, and pray that you can get on site before any real light comes up so that your fledglings are in the same spot that you left them five hours ago.
The mobile phone rings, and the person on the other end of the line explains that there is a injured falcon trapped behind their glass balcony several miles away from you current position (in the opposite direction to which your going). Out of cigarettes, Darn!!!, now your really rushing, but the hope that this report actually pays off and the missing fledgling might be found! A quick U-turn, (hope that there is no cops around) and 20 minutes later having gone in the wrong direction, your at the location where you might just get lucky, find your missing fledgling and save a life to day.
Up to the callers apartment, out on the balcony, you find a young recently fledged American Kestrel half covered with white down that is huddled down in the corner looking pretty terrorized. You quickly realize that its not the bird that that you had hoped to find. Then comes the long explanation to the caring folks that its not the fledgling that your looking for! Scoop it up and get it to the upper roof area so its parents can find it.
Back in saddle again, finally on your way to your original destination. Now the light has come up and your stress level is elevated another few notches. Finally on site, park, get your bins, out the car door and walking around to view the last known location of the fledglings that you left them at them at five hours ago.
Crap!! There both gone!! Your stress level has now climbed another five notches! 40 minutes later and what seems like several miles of searching, you have finally located both of the fledglings. Thank god!
Back to the car, unload the rescue carrier, brake-out the radios, grab the rescue towels, the folding chair. Don’t for get your coffee! More than several trips back and forth from the car to the set up position. Crap, forgot the binoculars, no there’re around your neck!! Back to the set up location. By this time, both fledglings are gone again and the search is on - AGAIN!!!
Stress level, up a few more notches! Crap,, forgot to get cigarettes!! 20 minutes later again, you have finally located the two fledglings again, one high and one low. Everything OK again!
10:30am, fledglings are screaming around all over the place, sustained flight, but really getting fast and really reckless!! Parents are also stressed! Your stress level is elevated yet again!
Moring traffic is heavy, everyone is speeding and in a huge hurry to get to their destination! The fledglings are speeding around, high and low, around the buildings - in and out of sight! Hope that some help arrives soon. Your stress is elevated yet again!
The stage is now set for an accident waiting to happen, and your pray that you can get through another day without any further mortality! Patty arrives, thank goodness there is help. Thanks Patty!!!!
Sun Life centre calls - Bloor & Islington, bird down! Call fledge watch team and give directions as to where the bird was last seen.
10:45am, both fledglings are again out of sight, and your worst fledge watch nightmare becomes a reality, as you are greeted by Sally and Karen carrying a towel, followed by the amazing Harlequin Rescue Squad as I have am now calling them!
Carina, one of the young Duncan Mills fledglings has crashed into the window on the east side of the Harlequin building and dropped like a bag of potatoes several stories to the ground. the collision with her hitting the window is so loud inside the building, alerts workers two floor up and one floor down.
Carina, rescued, (in the bag, safe and sound as we say). Quick examination, (although initially stunned by the collision), no broken bones, no blood and now she’s really got an attitude! Good news!!! Healthy and lots of fight!! A short hold over in a darkened quiet place (with air conditioning I might add), to allow her to calm down and de-stress. One final check and a detailed physical examination to ensure that other delayed signs of trauma has not manifested, and with ground watchers in place, she’s released back on the nest building roof.
Quest and Kendal both on hand to supervise her release. Not exactly happy campers I might add.
Back to the sidewalk, and the phone rings, another fledgling down at another location and bird needs to be rescued. Damn, that’s three birds now down so far today at two other locations.
Rob does rescue of downed fledgling at the Etobicoke Sun Life Centre fledge watch for Bruce, as Bruce has been pulled to go to the MEC fledge watch to closely monitor yet another young fledgling that is not doing so well and looking like it going to need to be rescued a fifth time. Tracy has had to leave the MEC fledge watch and get back to the William Osler fledge watch as the young hatchlings there are ready to go.
Call Tracy at the Osler fledge watch to call the vet to advise him that we are bring in at least one, (maybe two) injured fledglings that are in need of care. He’s now rushing in to accept that emergency.
Phone rings, Kitchener calling, CTV needs to attend their roof top to do emergency repairs to their roof top air conditioner, looking for advice as to how to proceed. Call Rudy at Kitchener fledge watch and advise of some potential challenges. Consult with CTV as to the procedures and protocols so they can get repair people and other tradesman to the roof. Fledge watch team back in place just in case fledglings are spooked and come to the ground.
Luna at Duncan Mill flying well, (all over the place)! Holding her altitude and now gaining altitude without much effort. Landing high on other roof tops and demonstrating some really good landings, (well, in a matter of speaking), she not crashing into things on her landings.
Cathy calls from ICICI nest site, one juvenile,, little Lucky, (now ledged) doing good, while his sister still not fledged but very active on the roof ledges atop of the nest building.
Marion calls from the Canada Square fledge watch at Yonge and Eglinton, first fledged, down low and looks like another rescue in the making.
Carina stays on the roof for the balance of the day and night. Further checks from the Eagles nest (Donna’s office at Harlequin) from elevation to see if we can see Carina is still OK as we have not seen her since her release four hours earlier. On the second check at around 9am, we finally spot her still on the nest building roof struggling to get enough momentum and height to get up to the ledge of the roof top retaining wall. But, still looking really good, lots of energy and very active indeed.
Management group calls from the Yellow pages nest site in Scarborough, young juveniles are ramping up and fears of fledging - (likely falling or getting blown off the ledges as they are now running the ledges). Call David who is expected to be on site soon to organize and coordinate fledge watch team.
Bruce calls and we arrange a meeting place to pick up one of his injured (not so active) rescued fledglings that Rob rescued from Etobicoke earlier. She is unable to stand, blood soaked mouth and very laboured breathing. He’s delayed, as he still another earlier rescued fledgling that he needs to get back to the roof top at the Etobicoke Sun life centre nest site.
Stay tuned, there’s plenty more to come…….
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