New Resident Female at Etobicoke Sun Life Identified; A Must Read!!
May 16, 2012 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Today was the happiest. Every once in a while something overly magical happens and you get to have “a moment”. It’s brilliant.
The last few days I have been out to the Etobicoke Sun Life nest site trying to determine who the new resident female is. From the photos taken by Mark Nash, it was clear that a banded bird with a Black over Green recovery band was the new resident female. Now we needed to get to the task of identifying her. Two previous tries at an identification from Eagle Road and Bloor Street through the scope and she wouldn’t even flinch. But today I was treated to the most memorable experience I have had in a very long time.
The bird that presented itself on the nest tray was sleeping when I arrived at 3:00pm. Each and every opportunity I had to see her, she was fast asleep on the edge of the tray next to her 4 healthy and happy hatchlings. She consistently roosted on her left leg, the one that I wanted to see and possibly photograph. She sat for half an hour not moving, only sleeping. This had me a little concerned and confused as this female was so docile with gulls, crows and other activity all around her. Earlier I had the opportunity to briefly see her fly and she did that well with good landings and excellent control and she roosted in the strong winds with good balance. She just seemed really tired. When I thought about it, this is a new female at a new site, with a new male, new chicks and a new territory. I’m tired just thinking about it. From all that I have observed, she seems to have everything under control and looks to be flying and feeding well.
At around 3:30pm this afternoon, Jack flew in with a food package for the young ones and she greeted him on the ledge, took the food and then proceeded to feed the kids. I snapped away with my camera in the hopes of catching a glimpse of her band and recording what my eyes could not see. My little digital camera has an awesome lens until I go into the digital range and I hoped for a clear photograph in the blustery winds. After feeding the chicks, she took off of the nest ledge and flew over to a corner perch. She sat there on the edge of her chosen ledge and watched the world around her quietly, only occasionally calling to Jack with a few chups. I again set to snapping photographs as fast as my little camera could take them and I struck it lucky with a crystal clear shot. After blowing the photo up, I was able to clearly and without doubt read her band number and it is Black M over Green 87. I was speechless and unable to stop a tear from coming to my eye.
It’s O’Connor. I don’t know whether I’m happy, sad, confused or all of them mixed together but I drove away from the site blasting the music and singing like a silly thing at the top of my lungs. Between smiles and tears I thought of all of the adventures I have shared with this bird over the past three years watching her and am so excited to see what the season will bring. I stopped for gas on the way to the barn and at the counter when I was asked if I wanted anything else I said, “Better give me a lottery ticket ‘cause today I feel soooooo lucky!”
More observations and pictures to come!!!
I'm so happy for you Tracy and everyone else who loves O'Connor so much!! Great news huh Carly? 
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