Flight School in Windsor
July 02, 2014 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Marilyn Weller Reports:
From Marliese:
Noon report: all are accounted for and up off the ground (whew) . Cathy, Maureen and Marliese have been led on a merry chase all morning.
Cathy and Vicky found all 3 somewhere in the girders or roofs and Shibi on the girder where we left her last night. By 9 the other 3 were all on Assumption College Roof with Voltaire presiding on the cross. Shibi decided to join them and actually made a decent long high flight but unfortunately has a lousy sense of direction and poor landing skills. In the next two hours she made a number of decent flights and sloppy landings including one on a lamppost until she finally decided it was safer on her original girder, but didn’t make that and landed on the big cherry picker. That was too boring so she hopped to the parking lot fence where she sat for the next hour. Her three siblings made repeated fly bys and sat guard duty above until Lancaster could not stand it any more and flew down to sit beside her on the fence….what a brother. He tried to give flying lessons and finally gave up. Eventually she took off toward Huron Church and the river, mad chase, but she had actually turned and landed safely on the large concrete slab right under the bridge and tucked herself into a corner exhausted. She had not been feed this morning.
Maureen reports:
Well Shi Bi spent some time on the concrete under the bridge, looked totally exhausted. She did stay put for a while, then went for a walk around the perimeter of the ledge. Thankfully no drama. After a couple of hours she (without warning!) took off and got quite high, flew over the bridge and landed finally on a girder under the bridge, the second one from the top, still pretty high. Lancaster flew up to see her, looked like he gave her a little kiss, they touched beaks. So sweet He has been such a good brother, sitting with her on the fence today. And they didn’t communicate while on the fence - I thought they might.
When I left Ted and Marliesse, Shi Bi and Lancaster were on that same girder, Maya was just above the pipe, didn’t see Sojourner, but she had been flying in and out. No feedings while I was there today.
Given that Shi Bi is indeed able to fly, she should be okay provided she is rested. Today she was unable to even get as high as the chain link fence - she actually flew into the fence about 2 feet up, clung on with her feet, then climbed to the top. When she flew off the fence, she had trouble even getting onto the tire of the cherry picker, she was on the ground again, took her a few tries to get any altitude.Given that, it was nice to see her fly high finally.
Also, when she was on the fence she sat on one leg for a good while; her banded leg was tucked up close to her body. Something to watch perhaps.
For this evening, Shi Bi has had a few more flights and some landing issues. She found herself in the grass on the south side of University and quickly walked back to the bridge’s big lift and walked up to the highest point. From there, she took off and managed to get some decent altitude and eventually managed a rough landing on a ledge on the east side of the bridge. Lancaster immediately flew in and greeted her. They are both laying down next to each other since.
Sojourner flew in at the same time with Shi Bi and Lancaster and landed one ledge higher. The 3 have been content on their ledges.
Maya has been sitting under the bridge for a long time.
Freddie just arrived with dinner and landed next to Sojourner. Lancaster and Shi Bi quickly hopped back up and are reminding Daddy that they are hungry too! Lancaster didn’t wait around, but took off and circled up to join Sojourner for dinner. The 2 of them dined well and Shi Bi and Maya were not fed while I stayed.
Hoping for more good flight lessons tomorrow!
Thank you to all of our dedicated and passionate watch team!!
