affordwatches

!!! Tenor fledges !!!

June 13, 2016 - Kitchener - CTV-Bell Media Tower

Lisa Reh Reports:

The girls were on and around the nest box when the fledge watch started at 6:15 a.m. today. At a little after 8:00, one of the adults made a food drop and the 3 girls made a fuss at the edge of the nest box. Tenor (Y49) was halfway down on the tower, far below the nest box where he was last night. His white tape is no longer on his silver band. He hopped back and forth a bit changing positions and flew about 10 feet to the centre platform still half way down the tower. At 9:25, one of the adults flew by towards the hospital and Tenor then circled back and around and landed on top platform of the Bell Media tower! Well done Tenor!! The girls and the people on the ground watching all cheered for him! Caster was on the top platform looking on during all the ruckus. The girls spent the morning coming and going from the nest box and cruised around the platform that the nest box is on. A black squirrel ventured up the tower twice and both times the parents came out of nowhere to ward off the intruder. Mystery even flew right into the centre of the tower stairs and swept her wings at the squirrel.

At 12:25, Tenor flew from the Bell tower for his second flight over to the King’s Towers! He tried to land beside the red light but miscalculated and flew around the tower and successfully landed in the same spot. He moved around the tower and slipped out of sight.The 3 girls were still on the nest box looking on. At 12:50, one of the adults flew to the King’s Tower antenna with a meal for Tenor but it didn’t appear that he had a meal. At 12:55, Tenor took flight for the third time and landed back on top of the Bell tower!!! It was a rough landing and he fell a short distance to the white platform, but he made it! Exhausted from his flight, he passed out on top of the platform for a sleep. Meanwhile, Mystery was eating her meal on the King’s Towers.

Mystery brought a food drop for Tenor on the top platform at a little after 2:00. Finally, Tenor is the first to feed and doesn’t have to wait for this big sisters to get their fill before he eats! The girls made quite a fuss. Mystery continued to vocalize to the youngsters, first from the smaller CTV antenna, and then from the King’s Towers antenna with a few flights back to the nest box. At one point, Tenor moved to finish his lunch on the upper platform and Mystery swooped down from above, snatched his lunch away and took it over to the King’s Towers roof, all the while encouraging him to come and get it. He declined, as did the girls, although there was a bit of wing stretching going on, as well as hopping around on the lower platform. Caster showed up about 4:00 and also tried to encourage some flights, but all stayed put. Mystery, Caster, and Tenor were all on the top platform, and the other three young were on the nest box ledge at 4:40.

Between 6:15 and 6:45 p.m., one of the adults was on the top platform with Tenor, 2 of the girls were in the back of the nest box and one on the ledge of the nest box. Shortly before 7:00, both of the adults had taken off and one of the girls took her first short flight to the top of the nest box to join Tenor! At 8:45 p.m., Tenor and his sister were still on the top platform and the 2 of the girls were looking out from the nest ledge.

Photos courtesy of Karen von Knobloch