Ninja and Mel Make it Home. Ferris Released And Flying High This Morning.
June 23, 2015 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Bruce opened the watch today at Islington and Bloor at 5am with Mel believed to be on the mezzanine Aberfoyle side and Ferris on the same level on the Bloor St side. He was joined by Rob and Roger for the morning and with their help was able to locate Mel after his dawn flight on the 5th floor of the Kingsway on the Park condos. Shortly after discovering Mel, Ninja took his first flight from the nest ledge and landed up on top of the Center tower. Ferris then tried for home and realized he was way too low so he circled back and went somewhere on the low Bloor St businesses near The Squire pub. They began a search for him and in their wandering noticed that Ninja was not alone on the Center tower roof. Mel had taken another flight and was now on the roof with his brother. Excellent job!! Ferris remained out of sight and Glider lumbered off camera view for a nap. This was Bruce’s signal to grab a bite and rest before another round of Ferris hunting. No sooner was Bruce done eating than who should appear in the air but Ferris. He made for home but was way too low. He flumped into the glass and continued on. He flumped again and now realized that this wasn’t fun and he made for the Bell building. He was only one third of the way up when he did the bat on the wall and then slid down right beside Bruce. In the carrier with you Ferris until your release tonight!
Back on Eagle road everyone was still in place and napping for the afternoon. Mel and Ninja stayed on the centre tower all day and took turns laying down to nap while Glider stayed on the nest ledge. Once he got over the fact that his playmates were out having their own adventures he seemed to enjoy having all the food and room to himself. The evening was quiet up until the supper hour bell sounded. Mel decided that in the cooler evening air that high flights were in order. He was all over the place. Condos. Nest building roof. Centre tower. Back to the nest building roof. Flying like a pro and landing with confidence. Around 8pm the first sprinkles of rain began and that got both Ninja and Mel excited. A half a dozen scurrying flights around and both Mel and Ninja were now back on the nest ledge with Glider!! All three went down to the camera corner and laid down together for bed.
Ferris on the other hand needed to go back to his parents care and so after closing the Osler watch with all 4 on the ledge in bed I headed down for the release. Ferris was in a rather nasty mood in his carrier as he was hissing before I had even crossed the room to check him out. He was in perfect condition to go home. A check of the weather showed some thunder shower activity through the overnight with 15mm of rain. Ok Ferris my love, you’re having a bath. I took him up to the roof and put him in a corner near to shelter and opened the door… …ok. Out you. Now please. Nope. He wanted a piece of me before he left. I gently pulled the towel out that he was standing on and he came out full of baby peregrine grrrrrr. He wanted me to give Bruce, his rescuer, a message and so he wrote it down on one of my fingers with his talon. Message received!! I left him on the roof about 30 minutes before the rain began to sort himself out. When the rain finally arrived he didn’t just get a bath but a full body scrub down!! This morning he has already taken two flights; one to the centre tower roof and a second to a ledge on the back side at Aberfoyle at nest ledge level where he and Mel are currently chilling out and preening. With both Mel and Ferris in view Bruce did a quick check of the camera and had both Ninja and Glider on the nest tray. Great job everybody!! All four young are high and safe!!