Mariah Has Been Released! Update! She’s baaacckk!
We have some very good news from our friend Mike Allen at the DEC. First a note released to the Rochester Watchers from June Summers, GVAS.
“Mariah was released on Tue., May 26 at approximately 3:30 p.m. in the Montezuma Wetland Complex. She is in good health and headed North upon release. She has new bling, a US Fish and Wildlife band on her right leg which has been covered with blue tape with a yellow racing stripe in the middle. Carol Phillips commented that, “Mariah is free to be a Peregrine again.” Carol is right, Mariah is back where she belongs in the wild. So please keep your eyes open when you are downtown.”
and this from Mike Allen………………..
“She was released on the Montezuma wetlands complex at approximately 3:30 PM on Tuesday, May 26th. We chose that site (approximately 45 miles from home) because of the diverse food availability there. I would not be surprised if she might take a day or 2 to re-acclimate to the wild before making her next move. As far as the release itself was concerned we were almost looking for smoke from her tail feathers as she came out of the transfer box like her tail was on fire so I can honestly say that she neither hesitated nor struggled to fly..”
Mariah has been banded with a USFW silver band. Mike covered the band in blue tape with a yellow racing stripe. This will make it easier for the Rochester Watchers to ID her if she returns to Rochester.
We here at the Rochester Falconcam would like to thank Mike, the rehabbers, including Gary the original rehabber that was there that fateful Easter Sunday morning, the DEC and all the folks that were involved.
Oh, and by the way, Mike has shared a few pictures with us that I will share with you soon.
Jess
p.s. As far as we know Quest is doing very well. We’ll be posting about her travels soon. Stay tuned!
A Very Important Update!
Mariah arrived at the Kodak Tower sometime Friday morning (5/29/09). Watchers working in nearby buildings reported an adult Falcon flying around the Kodak Tower around 9:00 am.
The Rochester Falcon Watchers that arrived downtown were greeted by a beautiful sight. An adult Falcon flying around the Kodak Tower, soaring over the gorge to chase the pigeons on the High Falls Brewery, chasing Crows off of the lower Kodak buildings and landing in very familiar places. A split wing tip was seen.
Later that evening, scopes were trained on the Peregrine Falcon and a blue band with a yellow racing stripe was seen. Thanks to Mike Allen from the DEC for this thoughtful addition.
Mariah is home.
Jess
May 31st, 2009 at 5:05 AM
Mariah, the homing falcon!
May 31st, 2009 at 6:35 AM
http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/6529/mariahhome.png
May 31st, 2009 at 1:23 PM
@birdlover – a great tribute to the reigning Lady of Rochester. Amazing that Mariah found her way home so quickly. May she forever fly the skies in peace!
May 31st, 2009 at 1:47 PM
@birdlover, that picture gets me thinking about my next tattoo….
May 31st, 2009 at 6:20 PM
Just seeing her profile against the steel sky of Rochester in that video was so moving. I had to grab a capture.
It was Jess’ statement: Mariah is home that got to me.
June 1st, 2009 at 1:03 AM
this is just great news.
I believe her nesting mode will be over and she will be content to chase pigeons.
Last year after our Transmitter girl was released in Edmonton, it was at this time of year.
the biologists released her not to far from where the nest box was. They were not worried because they said her nesting instincts would be gone now , for that season.
And they were. She went to the Weber building, 10minute drive from site and was content to roam around and return to WEber building at night,
The positive side is that this year she has a mate at the Weber building .
Now I do not know how close Kodak tower is to the new nesting site, but I hope everything will be O.K for this year.
Will the Kodak tower be finished for her to return there next year
Great job to everyone , from the ones that found her to the rahabbers to Mike and Jess.
Please keep her safe.
Bev in alberta
June 1st, 2009 at 1:12 AM
I just wanted to say that watching that vi doe brought tears to my eyes.
so I can only imagine how the watchers of Rochester feel.
Waiting for picutres Jess
June 1st, 2009 at 5:24 AM
ei: Thanks for the video, it really is encouraging to see Mariah flying free again. And, I am so grateful for the excellent medical care she received from all the caring and concerned people who helped her along on the road to recovery… from her rescue, to her release back into the skies. It’s times like this we get to know about the real heroes, people who are willing to step in and really make a difference. Goes a long way to restoring one’s faith in humanity as caretakers of the Earth and all creatures “great and small”.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
June 1st, 2009 at 2:13 PM
Thank you to Carol P for the awesome video of Mariah back at home.
Thank you to all who worked so quickly to save her life here — I think that was Carol P. again — and in Syracuse. Mariah has legions of fans and the outpouring of joy is something to behold. It is quite emotional for all of us who have followed her life for so long now.
Mariah’s power, strength, instinct are amazing, and I hope she flys long, proud and high in Rochester. There is a lesson in here as well — that the wild, the human, and Mother Nature can all cohabit this planet and serve each other. Fly on, Mariah!
June 1st, 2009 at 2:51 PM
Thank you all for taking care of our Queen. It has been such a sad Spring but hopefully with all your help and Mariah’s strength, next year will be all the better! Fly high and long, Mariah!
June 1st, 2009 at 4:52 PM
With tears and hopes for her future.!! Welcome home Mariah…We were all so-o-oo worried .. Take care of yourself and come back that much stronger next Spring. We’ll all be waiting and watching for you.
June 1st, 2009 at 8:11 PM
So happy to know that Mariah is free. Now, we only hope and pray that she can enjoy her life wherever it takes her. But we count on the dedicated Rochester watchers to keep the rest of us informed on her activities. Yes, Mariah, there is no place like home sweet home. Stay safe.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:46 PM
Bev in Alberta, thanks for posting Transmitter girl’s experience. It’s really good to know this can end happily. The new nest is about a half mile from the kodak tower. Kodak has been very generous through the years but is not interested in returning Mariah’s nest box to the tower. Something about pigeon parts clogging drain pipes. I don’t believe Mariah got that memo.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:49 PM
Much gratitude to all of you who helped Mariah get the help she needed and during her recovery. I, too, wondered if she would get strong enough to be released into the wild again. I guess she showed us! It brought tears to my eyes when I read the news on Imprints. And no matter how much I learn, I am always blown away by the ability of wildlife to return to their homeport. How-how-how does that instinct work to show Mariah the way home after having no idea where she was taken! It’s mindboggling and humbling. Alas, I am grateful she has it!
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:30 AM
What great news! Thank you to everyone who made Mariah strong and well to come back to Rochester. Welcome home Mariah…glad to see you home–we all missed you! Take care of yourself !
June 2nd, 2009 at 2:19 AM
“How-how-how does that instinct work to show Mariah the way home after having no idea where she was taken!”
She did not have to know where she was taken for rehab, she was released fairly close (for a peregrine) to home and as she has undoubtedly flown all over upstate New York in her many years here, it seems quite understandable to me that she would return to the Tower of her choice, even though it has been made clear that she is out of place there now 🙁
June 2nd, 2009 at 3:28 AM
absolutely amazing!
i have watched mariah and kaver raise their famiy for many years with my first grade students. i always start the late winter with an introduction to falcons and get the kids really excited about the miracles they will witness. this year has been very trying as a teacher to explain the events as they occurred. mariah has certainly kept me on the edge of my seat this spring.
now, as i read the news that not only was she released, but has quickly returned just keeps me glued to the computer even more!
as always, she never ceases to amaze me!
June 2nd, 2009 at 4:20 AM
She has a built in GPS system – Grand Peregrine Sonar – beats a Nuvie hands down every time!
June 2nd, 2009 at 4:40 PM
Words cannot express how I feel. Many thanks to all who cared for Mariah. What a grand lady she is!
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:37 PM
Someone mentioned the Yahoo site – can you provide the link? This is great news. The past several years I spent my birthday (July 2nd) around High Falls and the Kodak tower area. It was always a great time watching the Mariah and her family. I was going to pass this year because of the circumstances, but hearing this GREAT news I guess I’ll hang around downtown Rochester on the 2nd!
June 2nd, 2009 at 9:50 PM
@ Darlene (and anyone else interested) The Yahoo group is listed under the friends of the falconcam link…direct link is
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/kfalconcam/
Now…fair warning…we do tend to stray off topic when things are quiet in Rochester,though we do try to put OT in the subject 🙂
June 3rd, 2009 at 12:14 AM
Hello all ! I’m so happy for Mariah… She’s free as a bird 😉 I’m looking forward to see Mike pictures like Jess says… Did I miss something ?
June 3rd, 2009 at 4:38 AM
She stooped on an adult Bald Eagle?! No doubt restoring order over her domain. That’s our gal! 🙂
June 3rd, 2009 at 12:44 PM
I was puzzled by the following in the report posted for June 1: “The behavior was more like what we saw last Easter Sunday when Kaver attempted to keep the intruding female away from the K-Tower.”
Kaver was, by all accounts, not in Rochester last Easter, which was 7-8 weeks ago. Which male might this be?
As I read about Archer encouraging Mariah to the building with the second nest box and the relatively friendly contact, I wonder if he is not trying his luck with her again – maybe he is planning to two time it, like a “bigamous” bird up in Tornonto (I think).
June 3rd, 2009 at 1:54 PM
@Paule-Nope, you haven’t missed anything…I think those with the pictures have been occupied with keeping tabs on the situation in town. I’m sure the pictures will follow when they are able.
@Alison-I was a bit puzzled too at first…then I thought back…Carol was referring to Easter 2008 when Kaver behaved similarly to what Archer was doing on the 1st.
June 3rd, 2009 at 1:59 PM
@Alison-sorry-hit enter too soon. Yes, it was Toronto with the bigamous tiercel-Windwhistler was attending to Wind on the Sheraton and Mandy at King St. for serveral seasons. In fact, Rhea Mae (who took over from Wind at the Sheraton) is mating with Tiago who is the son of Windwhistler & Mandy from King St.
June 3rd, 2009 at 4:58 PM
That is great news! I’ve been following Mariah online for a few years now and am glad she is back where she belongs – flying free!
I would love to come into the city and watch the falcons sometime, but not knowing anything more than what I read here, is there a time when the official watchers are around that I would know to look for some other folks who might be able to share their knowledge/experience with them?
Mary Ann
June 3rd, 2009 at 6:06 PM
In fairness to Archer ;-), Beauty’s eggs do seem to be overdue. It’s not unusual for a first clutch to fail and she still has a lot to learn. If she deposited them in a gutter, recent rains may have washed them away So Archer may be re-bonding with Mariah for good reason.
Work is due to start on hazardous materials removal at midtown (early June, according to the news) any time now. With any luck, workers will let watchers know what’s going on up there. It would certainly put all the speculation to rest.
June 3rd, 2009 at 9:20 PM
What a season this has turned out to be with all of its twists and turns! Thank you Carol P. for all of your recent Falcon Watch posts!!
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:19 PM
@Mary Ann – The Watchers have been downtown quite a bit lately to keep an eye on Mariah, Archer & Beauty. Many of the Watchers meet at noon at the east end of the pedestrian bridge at High Falls. From here you can see much of the city, the Times Square Bldg and the Kodak Tower. It’s a good spot to meet the Falcon Watchers and watch Falcons flying. Just look for the folks with cameras and binoculars pointed at the sky and don’t be afraid to ask, “Whatcha lookin at? 🙂
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:27 PM
You are absolutely correct Ei. Sorry for the confusion Alison. The Easter Sunday I was reporting about was 2008, not 2009.
Carol P.
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:43 PM
Mariah hangs out with somebody awfully loud at the Times Square Building (backside) after 6 PM. It’s been going on for a couple of days now. They keep returning together to the site. She has obviously discovered the nest box there.
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:16 PM
IF they have found the nest box there, isn’t there a camera (the missing 3rd from the four camera page or the “main cam”) there that someone could take a peek at.
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:17 PM
whoops missing FOURTH from the four camera page.
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:54 PM
Well, after reading all your postings on the Falconwatch, Carol, I think we need to re-name it “Falcon Crest!” (Sorry – I’m aging myself – it’s the name of a soap opera from the 80’s – or was it the 70’s?). Thanks for all the info and the suspenseful writing as well. We’ll all stay tuned!
June 4th, 2009 at 12:31 AM
Birdlover – That is Mariah that you’re hearing at the Times Square Bldg. She’s been doing a lot of vocalization over there. But, I don’t believe she’s been anywhere near the nest box. Yet.
Carol P.
June 4th, 2009 at 3:02 AM
@Jess – Thanks for the info! My daughter is in p.m. kindergarten so can’t get there during the week, but may try to swing over on Sunday if I can!
June 4th, 2009 at 10:39 AM
@ Carol P., what does Mariah ‘doing a lot of vocalization’ indicate……….establishing territory boundaries, warning off intruders, seeking a mate/allies, anger/frustration………?
June 4th, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Mariah has been echupping. I don’t know if we know what this means in this situation. Actually, figuring out this situation is a moment by moment kind of thing. “Falcon Crest” is a perfect name for this!
June 4th, 2009 at 2:46 PM
So glad that Mariah has mended and has been released. Watching anxiously now that she has returned to Rochester. A great big thank you to all those involved with her rescue and rehabilitation. Long live the Queen!
June 4th, 2009 at 11:41 PM
@ bluhawkk – Jeanne said it very well. This is all knew behavior to us. It’s really hard to tell why she’s vocalizing. Seems we learn something new about these beautiful creatures every day. 🙂
Carol P.
June 5th, 2009 at 2:01 AM
Mariah is not alone. Two have been spotted on the Times Square Building. And you can almost set your clock to it (5:30 – 6:00 PM EST).
Two falcons spotted, one of course being Mariah.
June 5th, 2009 at 3:05 AM
Mariah is not alone. Two have been spotted on the Times Square Building. And you can almost set your clock to it (5:30 – 6:00 PM EST).
Two falcons spotted, one of course being Mariah.
June 5th, 2009 at 11:06 AM
@ birdlover, can you see if both are banded?
June 5th, 2009 at 12:49 PM
No bluhawkk – no scope or field glasses to check…but Carol P. is aware that they are there, so I’m sure they’re watching to see if they can catch a band.
June 5th, 2009 at 12:57 PM
I was pleased to discover that we can comment again on the Falconwatch blog.
It would be wonderful if the falcons decide that the river between them is sufficient territorial boundry and they can coexist. I do hope that they do not have to share a tiercel!
June 5th, 2009 at 1:59 PM
@ birdlover – If this sighting was yesterday from 5:30 – 6:00 pm, you saw Archer & Beauty on the Times Square Bldg. Mariah was on the Kodak Tower launch pad, NW corner from 3:00 – 8:00 pm.
Carol P.
June 5th, 2009 at 3:22 PM
Any chance creating a permanent reference link to the downtown Rochester map linked to by ei posted May30th, adding nesting box locations?
Thanks to all for your dedication
June 5th, 2009 at 10:56 PM
Three of them there this afternoon Carol…and possibly a 4th over the Changing Seasons?
June 6th, 2009 at 2:56 PM
I updated the map to include the Powers & Times Square buildings
http://tinyurl.com/narbol
Jess-feel free to post a link to it or update it or whatever 🙂