Welcome to Falcon Watching HQ!
Thanks to our friends at Kodak, falcon watchers now have a place to sit and watch Mariah, Kaver & their fledglings as they fly around the Kodak tower, and to get some shade during the hot summer months! Falcon Watching HQ has been set up in the Kodak Visitor parking lot at the corner of Morrie Silver Way and State Street. There are bleachers with plenty of seating and a canopy provides a shady spot to get out of the sun. Signs on the canopy let passers by know about the Falcon Watch and the Rochester Falconcam.
Tom Hoehn, Kodak’s Director of Brand Communications and New Media will be well known to many of you as the manager of the Kodak Birdcam for many years. Tom’s undying dedication to the falcons and implacable determination were instrumental in getting this viewing area set up. He and David Featherman from Kodak’s Facilities department installed the bleachers and canopy this morning. Tom provided the collage at the left to chronicle the work that went into erecting the viewing area (click the small image to open the full-sized picture). The Rochester Falconcam and all of the Falcon Watchers want to thank Tom, David and Kodak for their generosity and support!
The viewing area will be in place through the middle of July, when the fledglings are expected to begin leaving the area. It is open to the public and anyone who wants to find a comfortable place to watch the falcons while they’re on the Kodak tower. Plans haven’t been finalized yet but we’re working to see if we can have experienced watchers available at the viewing area to answer questions from passers-by.
So come downtown and spend some time watching Mariah and Kaver at Falcon Watch HQ!
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:01 PM
Baerbel and I checked out Falcon Watch HQ this afternoon and we both give it a thumbs up! Thanks Tom, David and Kodak! I’m looking forward to taking advantage of a nice shady spot for our Falcon Watching. 🙂 – Carol P.
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:50 PM
What a great idea! I’m so sorry I live on the other side of the country, otherwise I would be there! However (assuming you’ll broadcast it as in years past), I will enjoy Banding Day online, and watch vicariously from here on the Left Coast.
Sharon
May 23rd, 2008 at 8:47 PM
I think that is so neat for those of you in the area I live in midwest and no way could I view them. But I am sure glad for your local people.
What I had wondered was if Kodak could be persuaded to install a cam where we could see the fledglings on the patio once they leave the nest and go to the patio we can not see them. It would be neat to see them coming and going though I know that is asking a lot. gail
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:22 PM
How cool (no pun intended)! Thank you, Kodak, for making this happen. Although I tend to get my falcon fix via the falconcam, I have actually been down to the “HQ” area a few times, especially when I worked downtown.
Barb
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:35 PM
@Gail- Kodak no longer has a role in running the Rochester Falconcam, so they are unlikely to install more cameras. Since 2007 the cameras and all other items needed for the website have been under the control of the Genesee Valley Audubon Society (via the Rochester Falconcam).
One of our cameras can pan around to view the south and east sides of the catwalk below the nest box, so we usually have a pretty good view of the eyases coming and going.
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:44 PM
THANKS..I’D LOVE TO JOIN YOU..IT WILL BE GREAT TO SEE THEM..ALL I NEED IS SOME BINOCULARS.
May 24th, 2008 at 1:16 PM
What a wonderful idea . Thanks to Kodak and the hands on people who put their time into this project. This will be enjoyed by all to use.
May 24th, 2008 at 3:29 PM
Cool Thanks! Maybe one day when it gets warm and the babies start flying my mom and I will go down there and watch.:D
May 24th, 2008 at 6:10 PM
I wish I could park myself in that viewing area. Our local peregrine falcon projects don’t have the same coverage making it difficult to get good updates. I did spot 3 eyasses on the WAMU nest box camera a couple of days ago. That is thrilling since the past few years haven’t been successful. Keep up the great work there in Rochester.
May 27th, 2008 at 2:20 PM
I will hav to bring my daughter up there to see the little ones when they start flying around the skies of Rochester. I haven’t been on to see them in a few days and boy have they grown. I can’t wait.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:42 PM
To Kodak a big thank you. Unfortunately I won’t be able to visit and watch. But I visit the Falcon site daily and love the progress the birds are making. It will be crowded soon.
May 27th, 2008 at 10:33 PM
Please, I’m not so good at figuring out what initials stand for. What does HQ mean.
May 28th, 2008 at 12:59 AM
Headquarters
May 28th, 2008 at 2:52 AM
Thanks
May 29th, 2008 at 12:32 AM
I wish I could go thereï¼ I’d like to visit and see the real ones there someday.
Our 4 fledglings are now flying around THE SUNROUTE KANKUU HOTEL, where they were born.
â—New Slideshow of May 23
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hayabusa/izumiotsu/falcon2008/falcon2008-207slide/index0523.html
â—Pictures on Falco Diary, May 17～24
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hayabusa/izumiotsu/falcon2008/falcon2008-105/index52.html
â—May 25～
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hayabusa/izumiotsu/falcon2008/falcon2008-105/index53.html
May 29th, 2008 at 2:23 PM
Just a quick question. Does anyone keep track of what Mariah and Kaver’s diet is? How it changes as the chicks grow up. I know from the cam its hard to tell sometimes. I just thought it would be interesting to learn since the female usually catches larger prey and the male smaller prey. I’m guessing its mostly pigeons and doves but i did see a bluejay one time…
May 29th, 2008 at 9:54 PM
What a great idea. I look forward to comfortable viewing with my 80 yr old mom when I come up from Atlanta this summer!!
June 12th, 2008 at 7:20 PM
These babies are growing up too fast. They will leave the nest box soon. I will miss them.