Todays update
May 29, 2014 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Marion Nash Reports:
I arrived at 11:42 today to find no-one easily visible! Haven was not on the scrape and the three youngsters were in a tight ball right in the corner. I think it may have been a bit chilly out there but not cold enough for Haven to be brooding them.
It was difficult but I could see tiny little tail and wing feathers beginning to show on the two older eyases.
One of the youngsters took a short walk and then hightailed it back to the corner. Haven was on the wall north of the nest before she landed on the ledge. Then the little ones were vocal.
Ten minutes after I arrived, Malik arrived with a food parcel and Haven snatched it from him and waddled into the corner to feed the young.
I noticed this time that Haven did not *talk* to the young as she fed them. She did not need to call them, they were right there and reaching for the food. Haven is feeding them more than just the soft stuff now. The older ones got feathers and a few were given small bones. One of the older ones also received a foot. It REALLY struggled to get it down but after a full minute of gulping the foot finally disappeared. Then lunch time was over.
I must say the youngest does hold its own at these feeding sessions. Considerably *shorter* than the other two, the youngest stretched up and occasionally *jumped* to grab food from Haven’s beak. Haven is a great mom. She feeds all three chicks quite methodically. Those babies were fed almost everything from that food parcel. The spine and a few long bones and big feathers were
ingested by Haven.
The young ones then settled down for a bit, flat out! Haven had flown away after the feeding but was back on the ledge in a couple of minutes. She spent time on the edge where she preened. She eventually came further onto the ledge and sat watching her brood. The two older ones walked over to her; one was up on its legs and walking. After that it shook its wings and exercised them well! Then, of course, the young ones began calling again. At that point Haven flew away. One of the babies has a really loud voice!
Malik flew in. He is too funny. There was real puzzlement on his face. He looked at the youngsters, then the egg. Had another long look at the chicks and then the egg again and by this time they were calling him. He was quite close and one of the babies touched his beak several times, looking for food. Malik then walked to the edge and stood there, sort of looking over his shoulder at the brood.
Haven in the meantime had been walking around on the top ledge of the building across the street. She was looking for a stash and she found it. Once she had found it she flew in with the food parcel and Malik flew off the ledge.
Haven fed all three and I could see the crop growing exponentially on the little guy. He looked as if he had small ping pong ball there. He was stuffed. Haven gave him one last bit of food, which was a bit of bone and he could not get it down so she took it and ate it.One of the older babies was given a foot. This time the foot disappeared without any problem. Haven stood around and the little one pushed its way underneath her into her leg feathers. Malik was still across the street.
Lyn