Morning watch 2-13-15
By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK
Holy polar vortex! We’re in its grips and boy, was it ccccold outside today. Starting with a temperature of 2 (F) -17 (C) and a busy breeze that made it feel like -11 (F) there was a bit of lake effect snow in the air as well
I carry a light fleece blanket in my car for rescuing falcons if need be, but it also serves to cover my legs in the winter when I’m sitting in my car watching falcons. I wear a pair of gloves with mittens over them while I hold my camera by the open window-today it was so cold that I couldn’t feel my fingers for most of my watch. Even my camera wasn’t working properly because of the cold. I don’t know how wildlife survives. That being said, I’m happy to report that I saw 3 of our 4 Rochester Peregrine Falcons today and they’re all doing fine.
After checking all of downtown including the OCSR elevator shaft with no falcon sightings I drove down State St. to find both Beauty and Dot.ca (DC) on the south side arch of Kodak Office. I tweeted out my findings and when I looked back up DC was gone!
A couple minutes later DC returned and landed on the southeast corner of the Launchpad. It was plain to see that the Beautyful one had eaten since her crop overfloweth, but DC was in hunt mode as he had a depleted crop.
DC flew off to the west in a hurry and returned without prey to his spot on the launchpad where he did some preening and rousing.
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At 8:32am DC flew off into a long stoop to the east toward the High Falls and out of sight while Beauty and I watched-he didn’t return this time.
I left Beauty after a few minutes as she was sleeping. I wasn’t going straight home but I did go past Seneca Towers just in case a falcon or two were there and to my delight I spotted 99 from St. Paul St. He was on the top window ledge on the south side.
99 also had an empty crop and was in hunt mode, watching everything in the immediate area. I shared space with him for about 10 minutes-I was hoping Billie would come along and join him but that didn’t occur while I was on watch.
I ended my watch at 9am smiling after a cold but productive morning that produced blue sky and sunshine after a dark start! 🙂
Click on the links below to see today’s videos
February 13th, 2015 at 7:40 PM
Gonna be a brutal weekend too! Glad you saw 3, MAK! 🙂
February 13th, 2015 at 8:29 PM
Yes Patty, Sunday doesn’t look pretty (shiver) 🙂
March 1st, 2015 at 3:23 PM
I see them 2-3 times a week sometimes in morning and evening times behind 210 west main. I don’t know which gorgeous bird it is but they hunt rats back there.