Dawn at MEC. Epic Flight Ends in a Rescue. Mason is Fine.
May 14, 2014 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
This morning I headed down to the MEC site to be there for Mason’s dawn adventures as this seems to be his most active time of the day. When I arrived, the sun was just beginning to come up and he was still perched where I left him last night on the southwest corner of MEC 3. He was vocal and bouncy from 5:30am right up until the adults began to tease with food. Oh dear, here we go…
At 6:15am, Mason made the decision to follow Rogue over to MEC 4 where he knew she had a stash of something over there. His take-off was tentative but once in the air he flew very well all the way to MEC 4 and stopped just short of the concrete backstop that he learned about yesterday. He received a full escort by both adults and landed on the top of the window column fairly well. He scrounged around for scraps but there were none to be had. This called for a nap. He slept for about 30 mins and was up bouncing around by 6:45am. Mason started with just flapping and exercising but quickly graduated to ledge hopping in his renewed search for food. On one of his ledge hops, just before 7am, he was off and in the air.
Once airborne he decided to try for the nest building and flew out towards MEC 1. At the last minute he veered off and attempted to go to MEC 2. Rogue flew with him and tried to steer him back to MEC 1 but by this time he had lost some altitude and flumped into the windows just below the nest ledge. He recovered immediately and tried to go to MEC 3. Flump… …more windows brushed up against. He recovered and tried for MEC 4. Yup, another flump into the windows and each time losing a bit more altitude. By this time he had been in the air for a good 2 minutes and he did a great little set wing soar back towards MEC 2. I was now down at the bus stop at the end of the MEC 1 driveway as I was sure he was coming down to a lower elevation. He turned and made one last attempt for MEC 4. I stood there and now could not help myself. I started talking quite loudly to him telling him to cut it out and pump his wings like mad. The two people at the bus stop thought I was utterly mad and talking to the clouds when all of a sudden… …flump! Right into the windows of MEC 4. This time he was quite exhausted and his confidence deflated. He fluttered down and landed on the sidewalk just outside the Paradise Cafe at MEC 4.
I raced across the street and found Mason sitting on his bottom on the sidewalk looking tuckered out and deflated. He surely intended this adventure in flight to be pretty cool and get him home in time for breakfast. I scooped him up, walked him over to MEC 1 and placed him in the rescue carrier. As I walked past the people at the bus stop they just managed a smile at the cloud talking lady that now had a hissy little bird in a towel.
After 10 minutes I checked on our young Mason and he was just fine. He hissed at me and demanded immediate release but that was not happening. After a rescue we always hold a bird for a period of time and examine them for potential injures before releasing them. Mason would have to wait for the afternoon shift with Mark to take another shot at making a good impression.
While this adventure in “window washing” sounds quite scary, this is the best thing that could have happened to him. Most of the young fledglings that do not get early experience with windows and learn that they are a solid object potentially can strike them later on when they are overconfident and flying much faster. Mason’s experience has taught him a very valuable lesson that will go a long way in helping him succeed at earning his wings. While stressful for us watchers, a slow flump against a window is a blessing compared to a full on strike. A great lesson learned today Mason!!
Grace took over for me monitoring Mason throughout the day and watching the behavior between the adults as they work out this new relationship. Bruce is there now with Mason and Mark and they are preparing for his release on the MEC 1 roof. Great job everyone and thanks to all for their support of the MEC family, in particular Colliers International for hosting the pair and Garda Security along with MEC staff for all their support.
Look for a follow up report of Mason’s release very soon!!
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