The morning after morning watch 12-6-13
By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK
It was 20 degrees colder this morning than yesterday at 34 (F) 1 (C) less windy but just as dark and overcast
I arrived downtown half hour before first light like yesterday and in my travels to find a falcon I came upon a nicely lit tree in front of the South Ave. garage.
Click on my pics to see a larger version
At 7:15am I found a falcon up in the elevator shaft of the OCSR on the north side-I checked out the pic and when I looked back up there it was gone. Falcon watching is a game of split seconds-one second you see them and the next you don’t.
I could not say who this was but I had a falcon. I went to the Broad St. bridge (BSB) and spotted the tiny bump of a falcon on the northeast corner of Xerox. While stopped at a red light on Broad St. at Chestnut St. I grabbed my camera and a split second before I pushed the shutter button it flew off and I got the tip of the tail feathers in the frame. Anyway, it stooped toward the river and so I drove straight ahead to the BSB where I spotted a falcon on the top ibeam southeast side of OCSR. Upon closer inspection from the hole I easily identified it as Beauty. I went to Graves St. for an even closer view.
Beauty was keeping a watchful eye on the Xerox area in between looking for breakfast. As I was tweeting Beauty left. Donna reported to me that she saw her leave. Thank you for your support!
So I drove up to the BSB again and noticed one falcon circling above Xerox-my heart sank and I thought we were in for another long day. It flew over to the Chase building and back very non-chalantly so I suspected it was Beauty scouting the area for prey or foe. She stooped toward the south and I lost her behind buildings-soon after she reappeared empty-taloned and alone! Phew!! Beauty flew around the east side a bit more and left my field of vision. I went and looked for her but didn’t find her until I returned to the BSB. She must have been feeling confident that there was no other PEFA around for she was out in the open on the Mercury money bag (MMB).
I went to the hole to see the front of her and get a good look at her for any sign of injury-thankfully she looked in tip top shape and Beautyful as ever.
I shared space with her for 5-10 minutes then she stooped down in the river and came back up empty-taloned and flew west out of sight.
10 minutes later she turned up under the northeast wing on the Times Square building (TSB). I hung out by He’s Chinese food restaurant for 15-20 minutes then went searching for Dot.Ca (DC). From the Andrews St. bridge about 9:15am I could see a falcon under the southeast wing of TSB and when I returned to my spot by He’s I could see that DC was perched there across from Beauty.
<Beauty
DC had a very full crop and was picking at something that was stuck to one of his talons. Now KathyO had checked the Brighton site and found a falcon which had its back to her so she didn’t know who it was maybe half hour before DC showed up with his full crop. Hmm… I wonder. lol
Beauty flew east half hour later and DC remained to digest his food. I took off looking for Beauty on the east side with no luck in finding her. When I got back to the BSB Dan was there-I caught him up on the events of the last couple days and then I left to look for Beauty again. As I was at the Radisson Hotel checking the elevator shaft I saw Beauty fly up to the top ibeam southeast side of OCSR and land.
She had eaten a meal for her crop was full. I returned to BSB with Dan. LarryO walked up with Harold as they were out for a hike. Dan and Larry left after a few minutes and I decided to check for Pigott. I came up empty at the Brighton site-I so wanted to see Miss Pigott and check her out for injuries in case she was the female Beauty was fighting yesterday. On my way downtown Ei reported 2 falcons on OCSR. Thank you! DC was with Beauty just a few feet away from each other on the top ibeam southeast side.
Beauty was napping on and off as DC preened. All was calm and peaceful in downtown Rochester as I ended my watch at noon to go to an appointment. Smiling-you bet I was! 🙂
Click on the links below to see my videos of the day
http://youtu.be/PH2XafzaiYA
http://youtu.be/Rgc6AlFm9Zw
http://youtu.be/VCd95RPJAI4
http://youtu.be/PCmcXVd7kN0
http://youtu.be/AGS_cGxSSZk
