Mason Freed and Rescued… …Again!
May 19, 2014 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
When Bruce and I arrived we found Mason right where we left him in the tree. It was quite dark and a little chilly so we set up near the bus shelter for some wind protection. As soon as the first tiny bit of light touched the clouds both adults were calling him home for breakfast. He shuffled and turned but didn’t make a move to leave his position. He spent the early hours sleeping mostly and trying to position himself as comfortably as he could. Grace and Toivo arrived around 8am and joined us in our watch of our little Tree Falcon. By 9am, Margaret had arrived and we pretty much had him surrounded! The adults continued to call and fly overhead but he still would not be moved.
By mid morning Mason was attempting to make the best of his situation by making some new friends. He flipped his head playfully but the Cardinal, Squirrel, Robin and gang of Goldfinches respectfully declined his invitation to play. Instead they harassed him from the treetops above his head and that was as close as they dared to get. He was becoming much more active after the local birds found him and in between naps was stretching and preening as best as he could on his wee branch. At around 12:30pm we could see that he was now determined to get out of his current mess and with a quick leap and a flap he was out and in the air.
He headed across the road at an altitude of about 20 feet and circled around the west side of MEC 3. Bruce went in pursuit while Grace and Margaret stayed put and watched (you guys were so great). Mason circled around the north side of MEC 3 and came around the east side now about half way up the height of the building. He was climbing! He grabbed a hold of the window trim and clung for a minute and was off again. This time he headed towards MEC 4 and circled around the east side with an adult in escort. Margaret and Grace stayed central and watched for him coming out while I went in behind MEC 4. Mason came out over Robert Speck Parkway and headed for MEC 2 but was still way too low. He bumped into the windows and this time was furious that he did it. He recovered and headed for 4 but circled away from the windows and back towards 2. He was still about half way up the building height when he brushed the glass again and this time fluttered down the face of MEC 2 to the ground.
Our view of exactly where he landed was blocked by the valley trees and so we headed over to find him. Margaret went over to MEC 1 to meet up with Bruce and gather up the carrier while Grace and I started the ground search. I went down into the creek valley while Grace checked MEC 2 perimeter. I walked the valley to the back of 2 and came up the stairs to the very east corner and who should I find… …Mason!! He was standing looking back at me in a large concrete tiered planter that ran 15 feet along the base of the wall. Back down into the valley I go where I found the stairs and scaled the railing to the first garden tier. Then I scaled the wall of that tier up to the top level and as I did, something scooted away to my right. No matter, eyes on Mason to my left down at the end of the ledge backed into a corner. I scooped him up and walked to the other end where I shimmied along the retaining wall and handed Mason to Grace so I could get out of the planter box. Just then my darting creature appeared and it was an enormous raccoon that was on the ledge with Mason! The raccoon took off and Margaret took over handling Mason so that Grace and I could now get back onto solid ground. Margaret placed him in the carrier and took him off to MEC 1 to rest. In case he felt ambitious, I asked Mark if he could do the release and he suggested tonight in the darkness to keep him settled for the night. Thank you Mark for taking him to the roof tonight.
I have the absolute best team ever! Thank you immensely to Margaret, Grace and Bruce for their support and to Garda Security for their incredibly quick response to our need of help. Great job everyone!!
Ok Mason, we’ll see YOU in the morning…