affordwatches

Saturday at William Osler

June 12, 2016 - Etobicoke - William Osler

Tracy Simpson Reports:

The time has come to switch gears again to our final west end watch at William Osler and we began our full time monitoring this Saturday. Both of the juveniles are looking quite ready with very little down remaining. The female is more advanced than her brother yet both are energetically bouncing around the nest ledge building up their courage and flight muscles. Chessie was very on edge today and I thought it might be the pending flights of her young but this was something more. When I got a look at the resident male through the scope, which is confirmed again to be Casper, I can now understand. He has clearly been fighting as there is a line of feathers on the back left side of his head that are missing so that the down is now exposed. He is flying well and attentive but this evidence of a territorial battle may now explain the loss of two chicks just prior to banding. With Hurricane no longer here and this site being so desirable, the fights have continued well into nesting and chick rearing. The remaining two chicks are looking amazing and Chessie is taking a strong lead in their care. We look forward to first flights any day now.