Morning watch 6-10-13
By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK
This mornings weather conditions were over cast and warm with a temperature of 63 (F) 17 (C)
I arrived downtown at 5:16am and since I didn’t see Dot.Ca (DC) in the area I left for the Brighton site (BS). I found Pigott on the west end of the south side vent.
Please remember to click on my pics to view the full version
After a check around the rest of the building I was satisfied that DC was not present. I observed Miss Pigott as she checked the time,watched for prey, pooped and took off to the front of the building only to return to the vent.
Oh I almost forgot-around 6am I received tweets from Annette saying that Beauty had left the nest box and returned with food for the eyases. Ei also reported that DC provided that food. Thank you ladies!
Pigott continued to look for breakfast and spread her wings quite a few times in the next half hour before flying off to the southwest at 7am.
I noticed from a couple of yesterdays pics that Pigott had some tail feathers missing but at the time I considered it to be a molt she was going thru. Last night on their watch, Dana and CarolP got some pics that clearly showed much damage to her tail feathers and left wing. It looks more like the feathers were ripped or torn off rather than fell off or pulled out as happens when molting. We will monitor the situation to ensure that she is able to hunt in order to feed herself. I observed Pigott flying and so did Dana and CarolP and none of us noticed her having any difficulty.
Pigott didn’t return so I went back downtown. I found Beauty on the base of Mercury with her back to me when I arrived in the hole to watch and a few minutes later I spotted DC under the northeast wing.
Beauty barely moved for the next 35 minutes as she napped a little and when she did finally wake up and turn to her left I noticed a small package under her. She had a few bites and then took off with it flying to the nest box to feed the kids. Imagine my surprise to find that the Beautyful one was sitting on prey!
I didn’t see him leave but sometime while I was watching Beauty, DC left the building. I went to the Andrews St. Bridge to have a look around the north end of the territory and found him on the west corner top ibeam of OCSR at 8:10am. I drove down to State St. and parked across from the Rochester Plaza Hotel for closer viewing.
DC didn’t do much of anything in the 15 minutes I shared space with him. I think he was keeping an eye on the window washers across from him on the Crossroads building.
The sky started to spit a few raindrops as I decided to end my watch at 8:30am. I saw all 3 Rochester Peregrine Falcons who make me smile every day of my life! 🙂
Click on the links below to view some videos from the day
http://youtu.be/n3GqFeF4GN4
http://youtu.be/E0EfRMUDQig
http://youtu.be/qCH-4g2bI6s
http://youtu.be/kd5cn66wqOI
http://youtu.be/wJDUEn-_joc
June 10th, 2013 at 1:15 PM
Terrible to see the damage to Pigott’s tail. Your photo (img_0042-pigott-flying-off-fast.jpg), from yesterday’s (6/9) report shows a good view of the damage. Almost looks like something tried to grab her by the tail, or tried to take a bite out of her tail.
Also, your photo of Pigott catching her balance in your 6/9 report shows the left wing damage (img_0036-pigott-catches-her-balance.jpg)
Thank you for watching her.
June 10th, 2013 at 1:50 PM
I’m very concerned about Pigott’s condition and very unhappy to see these photos.
June 10th, 2013 at 4:00 PM
This is too bad about Pigott. Thank good ness you are monitoring her. Is she able to catch prey?
June 10th, 2013 at 4:11 PM
Poor Miss Pigott! I LOVED the Salute, MaK!!!
June 10th, 2013 at 8:39 PM
I am so worried about Miss Pigott…I feel terrible about her tail and wing feathers and hope she will be able to survive in the wild. She is so beautiful and young…. 🙁
June 10th, 2013 at 8:48 PM
Let me assure everyone that Pigott flies and acts quite normal-but she does look pretty ragged. Bruce Massey from CPF has suggested that she may have gotten too close to an air conditioning or ventilation system and that makes perfect sense to me. He also said she would adapt until she grows her feathers back. I think the fact that she’s pooping and extracting pellets means she is eating-so I’m not too concerned at the moment.
Kathy, glad to see someone noticed that! lol 🙂
June 10th, 2013 at 9:16 PM
MAK, that is good news….Thank you for informing us.
AND I loved that BYF caption too!!! 🙂
June 10th, 2013 at 9:36 PM
No problem Ginny-I’m happy to ease peoples minds(mine included). 🙂
June 10th, 2013 at 10:48 PM
Sounds hopeful, and I know under your watchful eyes, she will be in good stead.
June 10th, 2013 at 11:03 PM
MAK-I’m glad you posted here what I told you Bruce had told Carly about the possibility of Pigott getting her tail feathers caught in a fan/AC unit and how she’ll have to make adjustments until they grow out. He also told Carly, after she showed your pics of Pigott to him, that “the missing feathers on her wings are primaries so that’s likely from her molt.”
June 10th, 2013 at 11:28 PM
Absolutely Margaret it’s hopeful! Pigott is doing just fine as far as I can tell. Our peregrines are survivors!
Thanks for the info Kris! 🙂