Checking In With the Sun Life Family This Past Week
July 25, 2013 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
This past weekend we were all out and about checking in on each of the nest sites to see how each faired through the blasting heat followed by the storm on Friday. On Sunday, I came down here to Etobicoke Sun Life to check in on O’Connor, Jack and the kids and was treated to an exceptional show of flight. I started at Eagle Road and initially didn’t see anyone. I went back around to the Lomond GO parking lot and found one juvenile on the retaining wall of the nest tower. I couldn’t see tape colour but made efforts to find out. A second juvenile was now in my sight on the upper ledge of the center tower sleeping. I was keeping an eye on her too. Both of them were females but which two I had I was unsure of. The juvenile on the nest tower began to vocalize and from the west I could see O’Connor flying in with food. I watched her transfer the food from foot to beak and fly right towards the nest building. The juvenile on the retaining wall met O’Connor in the air, flipped and in her enthusiasm attempted to grab the food from O’Connor’s face. That went over well. O’Connor banked up and out of the way, dropped the food and the catch was made by the juvenile. Great job. The young one then flew with the food to a ledge on the nest building tower to eat. I did manage to grab my camera but was woefully unprepared for photographing this exchange. I still did manage to get some ok shots that upon review revealed the tape colour of the juvenile in question. It was Lizzy!!! She was now doing aerial food transfers with Mom!! I was all a-buzz about this and set on discovering who the sleepy girl was now. It took time for this cropped up juvenile to reveal her tape but eventually she did a stretch that gave me a positive on green, Layton. Layton flew off of the center tower and was now pursuing pigeons over the GO parking lot. Lizzy finished her tidbit and flew over from the nest building to the west tower where she was joined by another bird. I couldn’t tell if this was Little Big Frank or Shania as it was sitting back from the edge and partially concealed but I believe it was another female. Layton then flew in and landed on Lizzy’s head with much complaining. All that work and no pigeon. Layton was unamused. I now believe I had all three girls on the west tower, O’Connor roosting on the camera housing and Jack hiding in the Moneris sign symbol hoping to go unnoticed. He was soon discovered there by Layton and chased right out of the territory with her screaming behind him. She returned shortly, empty taloned, to the west tower and rousted the other two girls off of their perches. All three were now in the air, screaming and playing the day away. By this time I had moved over to Bloor Street and was joined by two local watchers Lucie and her husband Richard. Richard began recently to regularly watch the Duncan Mill Road nest site this year after following the story there for the past three years and only recently learned of the Etobicoke Sun Life site. This is now on their list of places to visit!! They remained with me until dark watching as the kids were now chasing and playing tag while the sun set. Little Big Frank did not make an appearance during my time here but Angie was able to catch him on camera on Saturday after the storm with his white tape clearly visible. It would seem that all of the kids and adults here are fine and well but I will be back to confirm that the third bird in the playful scrum was Shania. Although I am certain she was here, we would like to see that red tape just to be sure. Lucie, Kathy and Rob will also be spot checking for the elusive red taped lady.