William Osler Fledge Watch Started Today!
June 24, 2014 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
After doing a site check yesterday and finding all four of these monkeys being incredibly vocal and active I decided that today was the day I would start the William Osler fledge watch. The William Osler staff members are currently holding a name the chick contest that is not quite concluded so until they receive their official names, I will refer to them by their tape colours.
When I arrived I checked in with security, got the rescue carrier in place and headed outside. Two of the chicks were on the southeast corner and two were on the northeast corner all lazing about. Ok. So maybe they aren’t as ready as I thought. The two oldest reached 36 days of age today so they may not go anywhere just yet. Well… …while I may not have had a fledge as of yet I certainly had LOTS of action!!
The falcon choir began at 8am with all four chicks singing their little brains out at the top of their lungs. Hurricane had just come in with breakfast and they were all looking to get their fill. He tried to beak feed but it was just too frantic so he finally gave up the little piece that he had and the biggest female grabbed and ran with it. After tripping over the food onto her face with as much grace as possible, she bolted down and around the southeast corner with her sister right behind her. The two squabbled and fought over it for a few minutes and they each came away with a little chunk. The boys were furious. They continued to complain until Hurricane came in with a piece for them and began to beak feed the boys. I watched as big sis peeked her head around the corner and seeing more food, ran as fast as she could to get in on it. Her little brother with the white tape turned and howled right in her face as she came skidding to a stop but that didn’t stop her. She quarterbacked her way into the feeding fray which gave Hurricane the moment he needed to get out of there taking the food with him. Oh boy, that went over well. The next two hours was spent flapping and screaming, running and screaming then bouncing and screaming all over the south, east and north ledges. What really made this all so epic was that Hurricane continued to fly in, land and then leave just as the chicks reached him. He did this constantly all morning in the hopes that he could entice a young one to fly with him. Not yet.
By 11am they had all settled down for a nap and it looked like the afternoon lull was getting started. As soon as the chicks were asleep, Hurricane once again flew in and woke them all up. He was incredibly determined to get a flight out of someone. By noon the entire family retired to rest with all four chicks sprawled all over the ledge, Chessie up on the roof antenna and Hurricane in the tower. All was quiet until around 2pm when the family was once again on their feet. Chessie brought in the first feeding and was instantly surrounded. She’s a big girl and the chicks can’t easily push her around so she stood her ground while her four offspring pinned her to the back wall. The only way out was to feed her way through the mass of screaming chicks and so feed she did. It was like watching a little sowing machine going a mile a minute and the food was just a-flyin’. There was a storm moving in and Hurricane was anxious to get the kids fed and settled so that they would stay put so he decided to help. He came off of the tower and kited beautifully over the top of the hospital. He changed position only a few times and then he saw it, his prize, waiting down below.
Out front of the nest ledge is a sign about 5 or 6 feet high and on it sat a dove. Hurricane banked and dropped like a stone down to just above ground level and then made a swoop pass over the top of the sign. He grabbed the dove and banked up hard skimming the face of the hospital all the way up to the ledge. Stunning!! This time it was one of the boys who benefitted from this incredible hunt. After this Hurricane flew over to the tower with Chessie and they both watched as the sky darkened and the winds really picked up. Chessie left the tower and landed on the northeast corner while Hurricane flew to the southeast. The two adults had encapsulated the chicks on the ledge and they both began to walk them towards the nest tray for protection from the storm. There the foursome sat and rode out what proved to be a fantastic storm and the chicks got their first really good soaking.
From that point forward, preening and sleeping was on the agenda and the family once again settled for a while. As the 5 o’clock dinner bell was ringing, the female with red tape made her way down to the southeast corner with her brother in white tape and the two began to howl in unison at their parents. They wanted food… …NOW!! Hurricane flew over and did two “touch and go’s” that had little big Red just furious. She was so angry that food was not forthcoming that she threw a temper tantrum of epic proportions that ended with her grabbing the louvers at the back wall and trying to rip them off. While that is certainly impossible she tried with all her might nonetheless. The family of four youngsters continued the “singing” until around 7pm when the big feed came in. Chessie arrived with a nice big pigeon and the four dined until they were stuffed silent… …silent for the first time today it would seem!! After eating, all four little spoiled brats flumped down on the southeast corner in one big pile for a great big sleep. Not a bad way to end a busy day.
Tomorrow should be another great day of activity at the William Osler nest site as the watch really gets started.