Morning watch 9-26-12
By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK
Arriving downtown in darkness I went straight over to the east side thinking I would find Beauty on her 5th column south side night time roosting spot on Xerox or on her morning hunting spot on HSBC. She was on neither so I made my way to one of my roosting spots by the Rundell Library on a picnic table. I could see the Frontier Communications tower,Mercury,OCSR and the Times Square (TSB) area. At about 7:20am I saw a pefa on the ledge right above the nest box briefly and in the blink of an eye it was gone. I then took a walk down to Tim Hortons on Main St. and while in there got a text from Donna saying that Beauty was at the nest. As soon as I walked out of Tims I spotted Beauty as big as life on the main cam.
Donna also said that she heard the distinctive chirp of Dot.Ca (DC). I found him as well (thanks to my good friend and cam watcher Donna) under the northeast wing of the TSB as Beauty was looking up at him.
They both had their heads on a swivel looking for prey to pounce on. DebbieH came by to observe our fabulous falcons on her way to work and right after she left Beauty took off and stooped in the river. I was stationed at another one of my roosts-by He’s Chinese Restaurant on Exchange Blvd. so I quickly lost the Beautyful one behind buildings. KathyO drove by honking her horn and waving to me on her way to give Brian a lift to an appointment before she went to work. We Rochester falcon watchers are a tight knit family that help each other out in life. So I watched DC for the next 20 minutes bob and turn his head and have a nice stretch for himself.
As I wondered where Beauty had gone, suddenly I spotted a familiar face poking up from the base of Mercury. It was Beauty come back from her unsuccessful stoop to try her luck from there right above the river.
I walked up to the Broad St. bridge so I could watch them both easier without having to look away from one to see the other. They both had birds flying below them and Beauty once again flew off after pigeons above me out over the river and beyond.
I watched her until she disappeared into the southeast sky. I waited to see if Beauty would return but she didn’t so hopefully she caught something and was eating somewhere. Back down to He’s to keep an eye on DC who was still under the northeast wing of the TSB looking around for his own meal. A silly starling flew out from behind the northwest wing and made a quick u-turn when it got a load of DC right there staring him in the face! Right after that DC scratched his head and had a look of having something to ponder.
Soon after this I decided to catch the next bus home thus ending my watch on a happy note with a smile on my face! 🙂
I have links below for a photo album and videos for your viewing pleasure. Just click ’em
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AaN3DFm0ZMWrJrA
http://youtu.be/AfDY0n_1o1s
http://youtu.be/UxAk5bHssrk
http://youtu.be/QPHLhkEdWY0
http://youtu.be/giOxgvmorC0
September 26th, 2012 at 3:43 PM
Isn’t it strange that Beauty won’t perch on Mercury’s money bag, maybe only once, since she’s been back from rehab- that always seemed to be her favorite spot. Maybe she was attacked by Unity up there? Anyway-thanks for the report, pics and videos, MAK!
September 26th, 2012 at 4:26 PM
Ya know Kris I brought that same scenario up a while back to a couple people. I think perhaps Unity may have blind-sided her there. It is wide open from any direction. I’m good with it if she wants to stay off, better safe than sorry. We’ve had to be sorry too much in the last year around here. She’s Beautyful wherever she decides to perch right!? 🙂
September 26th, 2012 at 5:53 PM
We’ll never know what happened between Beauty and Unity since no one witnessed a battle. 🙂
September 26th, 2012 at 6:22 PM
Carol-true, but they did have a witnessed and photographed battle on Kodak last year plus Unity moved into the Penthouse not too long after Beauty went down this year. Only Beauty knows what really happened and she isn’t talking! Lol!
MAK-yes, she is Beautyful wherever she is! 🙂
September 26th, 2012 at 6:28 PM
Thanks MAK for the wonderful reports and letting me use your binoculars!! Beauty was XTRA BEAUTIFUL this morning!
September 26th, 2012 at 7:25 PM
LOL Kris! And Debbie, I don’t know when I’ve seen Beauty looking more Beautyful than she does right now. 🙂
September 26th, 2012 at 7:48 PM
MAK….I thought the same thing too about Mercury. For some reason she doesn’t feel secure on that money bag anymore and I don’t care where she perches. She is so BEAUTIFUL anywhere she is and yes today she looks even more so than ever.
Thank you for the great pics and videos!
🙂
September 26th, 2012 at 7:56 PM
Those are two gorgeous Pefas, MAK! Maybe I’ll get to see them while I’m in Rochester next month.
September 26th, 2012 at 7:57 PM
You’re so very welcome Kris, Debbie and Ginny! Thanks for commenting y’all, your words make me smile as well!!! 🙂
September 26th, 2012 at 8:33 PM
Cool Barb! How long will you be in town!? I hope you will come out to see our falcons and I would love to join you. 🙂
September 26th, 2012 at 9:19 PM
WOw, Barb coming from LA just to see the falcons?
It’s funny to read the comments, because looking at pics of B, I think she looks extra pretty these days. It’s like she has recovered, she did her mom thing, and now it’s time to get back to being “Beauty”.
I also thought of all the wonderful shots MAK took of B on Mercury and the money bag. Those pics are the way I started my mornint last year — until February! But Rochester was blessed and Beauty prevailed and is doing BEAUTIFUL-LY!
I would still like to see her perched once more on the money bag of Mercury as the snow falls around her. Favorite shot.
Although another favorite shot is Unity and the moon and it was taken on Mercury by Carol. That is one gorgeous picture. Unforgettable.
September 26th, 2012 at 10:22 PM
Thank you Margaret. I think every one of us that photograph the Rochester Falcons have gotten our share of Beauty, DC, Archer, Unity and young ones on the Mercury statue. Definitely a favorite spot for “our” Peregrines to perch. 🙂
September 26th, 2012 at 10:22 PM
In all honesty, I’ll be in Rochester (my home town) Oct.9-16 to visit family and friends. Hopefully, I’ll be able to persuade someone to drive me downtown to see Beauty and Dot.ca in person, and possibly meet some of the Watchers! One of my side trips will be to Wild Wings. Too bad FlaDonna won’t be joining us. I wish all of you Watchers could come out to L.A. and see “my” Miracle Mile Falcons! And bring those incredible cameras and scopes! Margaret, I was thinking the same thing about B looking extra pretty. And the photo you mentioned that Carol took of Unity was a prize-winner…now with special significance. MAK…as always…great report, pic and videos!
September 26th, 2012 at 11:05 PM
Well Margaret all I can say is it’s early and maybe when and if DC migrates we will see Beauty back up on the money bag cuz for all we know he might have buzzed her while on it! I’d love to take pics of her in the snow on it again! And Barb as always I’m glad you enjoyed my stuff! 🙂