William Osler Has Four Eggs
March 30, 2016 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
After MEC, I headed down to the William Osler site to check in after CPF received a report from Ross Bartlett of three eggs in the nest bowl. When I arrived, the resident female was on her favorite corner on the southeast side of the ledge watching her mate in the nest tray incubating the eggs. I left her there preening to hook up with Ross and security for access up to the mechanical room and the camera monitor. When we arrived upstairs, the male was in the tray incubating and four gentleman who have been working inside the mechanical area for the past week said that the fourth egg was laid today completing the clutch. According to these gents (sorry I didn’t get your names) the first egg arrived last week on Wed Mar 22nd.
What makes this all interesting is that I was on site last week on Friday attempting to identify both the resident adults and whether eggs were present yet. Security was very busy that day so a trip upstairs was not great timing. I opted instead for observations from the ground. On Friday during the two hours I was there, neither adult was anywhere near the nest tray and while the female looked ready (puffy abdomen with a dose of egg lethargy in the afternoon sun) I wasn’t sure and made mental note to return. So instead of focusing on the nest tray, they were instead focused on something out to the east. This had the male very agitated and active and I suspect this is due to the return of Hurricane from migration.
Each winter for the past three years, Hurricane the resident male, has migrated for the winter. After he leaves, Casper, the resident male of our Viscount territory just 5km away, comes and spends the winter with Chessie as his mate Claire also migrates. When Hurricane returns, he drives young Casper back out to his territory and life for Chessie and Hurricane returns to status quo. Add to that reports from Ross over the past two weeks of three falcons on site I believe that Hurricane is back and disruptions were ongoing right up to and including last Friday.
Who is the victor this year? Don’t know yet. What I can say for sure is that the male is banded with a solid black recovery band and silver USFW consistent with a Canadian born bird and the female is wearing a black over green recovery band and silver USFW consistent (but unverified) with Chessie. I will be back this week to try and find out.