MEC Female Identity; We’re Half Way There!!
August 01, 2012 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Tonight I was back again at the MEC site to try and identify the new resident female and finally get her band number. This identification will be a hard won ID as she is very secretive and elusive when it comes to her recovery band. I swear she knows what I’m after and is purposely withholding the evidence!! But I wasn’t to be bested today!!
I found the adult female roosting and digesting a large pigeon sized crop on the east side of MEC 3 and so I grabbed scope, camera and other sundries and headed across the street to the south side of Robert Speck Parkway. I pitched camp on the grass beside the sidewalk, sat down and prepared for a good ole fashioned sit-in. She spent most of her time with her back to me and her left leg, the one I was wanting to see, was an inch or so into the ledge and so I couldn’t readily see the band… …and then she moved. Her left leg was now partially exposed and the top letter was revealed!! On her black over green recovery band, the top letter is a rotated S. I waited ever so patiently for her to turn just a little to the left but that was all she was willing to give up today. By 8pm, she decided to fly over to the nest box and instead of making a turn to launch, she just burst off of the ledge before I could read the lower digit. She flew over to the nest box and landed on the platform but again she was at least an inch or so in and that was enough to obscure my view of the bottom of the band.
I was pleased as punch to call it a day feeling rather triumphant at achieving a partial on her. I will be back to get the full monty, I WILL PREVAIL!! As soon as I get the bottom letter we will reveal the identity of this new resident female at MEC. Check back soon as I intend to keep at it until we know her name!!