!!! Lancaster has multiple flights!
June 26, 2014 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Marilyn Weller Reports:
Maureen sent a great report of her shift and all the excitement this afternoon:
Well today was certainly more eventful than we have had of late. Lancaster kept us on our toes; after having fledged and providing good views on the girder under the bridge light standard, he disappeared for a couple of hours before finally resurfacing on a cross girder under the bridge. He hopped around up there for 20 or 30 minutes, before attempting a very short flight and landing on the girder above the pipe where Voltaire normally sits. It was impressive to see him come down and land on the small girder. At this point Freddie saw him and did fly-bys, looked like he was trying to get Lancaster to fly to the nest. That was pretty cool to watch, dad teaching him how to fly. Freddie eventually dropped off a food package on the girder and Lancaster ate for the first time today. That was just before 3:00.
The media were with us today, both CTV and CBC (radio). The 6:00 news aired a segment on the falcons, hopefully Larry and I represented well. Larry did an awesome job explaining to the reporter(Chris Campbell) what we were doing and why, and the reporter seemed truly interested, he stuck around for well over an hour, and saw Lancaster do some hopping, sadly no flight. I didn’t hear the CBC radio report.
Maya looks ready to fly also, if she hasn’t already. The other two chicks were less active. As of 3:00 the chicks in the nest had not been fed since this morning.
The makeshift ladder has been put in place on the north side of the bridge support; the bridge company took the tree limb across the street and cut it to fit, awesome job. That was done this morning.
Now that there is at least one out of the nest, the fun begins!!
maureen
I relieved Ted and Marliese around 5:45 and they filled in the following info.
Lancaster had a big flight just before I arrived and tried landing on the steeple. Guess he did a big slide down the steeple and took off. We haven’t been able to spot him since. Marliese and Ted did walks thru the church grounds and checked trees and rooftops but can’t spot him. Given his strong flights I’m not too worried but of course would feel better if we knew for sure where he is.
More feedings during my watch, lots of flights around by Freddie and Voltaire, but still no sign of Lancaster. All quiet in the nest now.
The excitement has begun!
Marilyn