Toronto - Don Mills

DON MILLS FLEDGE WATCH DAY 2:

And we have a fledge!

I arrived to see parent fly off with the remains of breakfast. All 3 were quiet on the ledge.

Ted, Bob and Rob joined me over the morning. We were watching Mom come in on the nest ledge when Tava jumped on Mom and then both slid off the ledge! Off  Tava went( he had no choice). We lost him behind the trees for a few minutes but up he popped on the Purolator roof!

We watched him there for abit before he took off across the street and landed behind the building across from the nest, first level. Super low.

Ted and Rob had to go so Bob and I settled in to watch. But one photographer stayed a bit longer and got a bit too close. Bellatrix was over like a shot, checked quickly on the ledge with Tava (!) and then swooped… I ran out(we were under cover of a tree) and got him out of harms way and she left. Don’t mess with her kids! Later a poor gentleman was just taking a picture with his phone but got too close and she was there before I could tell him but I got him out of the way and she left. Way to go Bellatrix!

For the next 3 hours Bob and I watched him test out the windows (over and over), pace back and forth, listen to his family and check it all out.

Finally, he was off! Low, past us, behind the bushes and trees. We lost him but were right behind. Quickly checked the roads… And I saw Bellatrix fly over me then back to the corner of the nest building and there he was, one level down from the nest ledge! Way to go Tava!! Fantastic flight. Gained great height and landed well. His siblings were happy to see him, even if it was a level down.

Those two we were so quiet all afternoon, thank goodness. Not easy watching 2 different spots and they cooperated beautifully.

Ted, Rob, Ivy and Mike joined us for the evening.

At one point, Canuck started alarm calling and then flying back and forth, down and around the nest and Tava… I ran to check what the heck was going on… And saw a nice couple walking their dogs in front of the building! Canuck wasn’t having it. I called them across the road. They said that they walked there every day but I explained that there were now  kids in the air so they are now hyper vigilant. Quest was the same way… And she got very close to hitting the dogs. Like mother, like son

Tava rested, then decided to ledge hop back and forth for a while. Unfortunately, at one ledge the occupants noticed him and spooked him. He froze between ledges.  And was still there at dark.

At bedtime, the parents brought food to the kids on the nest ledge but Tava got none. He was in an unsafe spot so perhaps that is why he did not get fed.  Hopefully he will move in the morning and get a nice big breakfast.

Simba and Roshan were stuffed and went to bed happy.

Simba… You’re up tomorrow!?!

Cathy

I’ve started the pictures with Ted’s sequence of Tava’s accidental fledge and then added a few of my own.