Morning watch 6-13-13
By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK
I checked the radar before leaving- the rain and storms headed our way looked like they would hold off until after my watch-no such luck. The starting temperature was 64 (F) 18 (C) – the rain started a little after 6am as a very light few drops. Within 45 minutes it was raining moderately and by the time I ended my watch around 8am it was pouring!
Like the last few days, I started my watch downtown looking for Dot.Ca (DC) and when I didn’t see him I went to the Brighton site (BS). Cam watcher Campgee reported that Beauty left and returned to nest box without breakfast while I was on my way to BS. Thank you for your support!Arriving there at 5:30am I could see 2 bumps in the darkness. Pigott was on the northwest corner of the northwest extension and DC was on the northwest corner of the west extension. She was whining loudly and he was ignoring her as she was facing him and he was facing west away from her.
After 10 minutes passed DC spread his wings and prepared for lift off-flying northwest toward downtown. As soon as he left Pigott stopped whining.
I stayed a few minutes to see if he would return said good bye to Miss Pigott and left for downtown. Both Annette and Camp reported Beauty left the nest box, DC landed on the rail outside and Beauty returned with food while I was in transit. Thanks! I found the Beautyful one on the Mercury money bag when I arrived in the hole a little after 6am. It must have been a small meal since she was done feeding already.
After 20 minutes I drove up out of the hole to the Broad St. Bridge (BSB) to look for DC. Beauty left Mercury while I was on my way and I didn’t find DC so I set out to search for him. At 6:45am as I was stopped on Woodbury St. by the Geva Theater I spotted a PEFA on the west side railing of HSBC. I took a pic, then headed over to get closer so I could ID it.
Just as I pulled up on Chestnut St. in front of Manhattan Square Park it flew off over my head. I jumped out of my car to follow it to the south where it went into a stoop so fast that I swear I saw a jetstream trail behind it. lol I lost sight of it and thought the size was too small for it to be Beauty. Donna let me know DC was at the nest box with food so I have to believe it was DC that I saw and his stoop was successful. Thank you for the assist! It started raining and again it must have been a small meal for about 10 minutes later from the BSB I spotted DC on the 2nd ibeam south corner of HSBC.
I watched him in the pouring rain for a bit and decided he wasn’t going anywhere for a while thus ending my watch at just about 8am. Once again I left downtown smiling for having seen all 3 Rochester Peregrine Falcons safe and sound! 🙂
Click on the links below to view some videos
http://youtu.be/mgJOMgzwofM
http://youtu.be/IjMuNLK9EJs
http://youtu.be/toof22aFUnY
http://youtu.be/ibBltAES5NU
and returned to the BSB after getting word from Donna that DC was at the nest box with food.
June 13th, 2013 at 5:39 PM
What a confusing morning that was! I had thought it was DC that came in and fed the eyas, Ei thought it was Beauty, being much better at this than I am I corrected my tweet only to have E decide it was DC after all but just as I was correcting my correction Shaky said it was Beauty. Holy cow, none of us knew! When your tweet came in that B was on Mercury the pefa was still feeding the eyas, I thought. We thought you’d said it was B as I’d reported DC was feeding.
I really don’t have a clue who fed them but they got lots, it was a falcon, that much I know for sure! The feeding was from 6:01am till 6:09, not a long one to be sure. Your tweet was at 6:10 so it could have been Beauty in both the nest feeding and on Mercury but I sure don’t know.
The cams are pretty much black and white early in the morning making it very difficult to see the band colors of the birds.
We’ll try harder MAK to help you, I know confusing you is not what you need, sorry.
June 13th, 2013 at 6:44 PM
falcon feeding at 6:04 am June 13, 2013 is 81/Y
June 13th, 2013 at 10:39 PM
Camp, you didn’t confuse me and I know how hard it is to ID these birds on cam. We all make mistakes on cam and in the field. No biggie! 🙂