Mariah and her new mate have taken over the Rochester city skies.  They are very active flying around downtown, especially around Xerox, Bausch & Lomb, Midtown, and HSBC (which are all in close proximity as the falcon flies).  They are frequently seen landing on Midtown.  There are no occupants in this building anymore.   You can often hear the pair e-chupping to one another.  One has to wonder if Mariah and her mate plan on taking up residency and raising a family there. 

Here are two watch albums of Mariah and her new tiercel from last weekend – Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=tq6stye.c6m1yufq&x=0&y=-abvoil&localeid=en_US

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=tq6stye.70aczjrq&x=0&y=fbvhee&localeid=en_US

Good news – on Thursday 3/26, one of the local falcon watchers who works downtown, witnessed Mariah and the tiercel mating on top of HSBC (across the street from Midtown).

 Joyce

I was thrilled to get downtown this afternoon for some good looks at the new tiercel who’s flown into town.  On the downside, this is definitely not Kaver.  The tiercel is banded.  Despite our best efforts, two spotting scopes and lots of long zoom lenses he’s being coy, not giving us a good look at the ID number on that band yet.  He’s been perching low enough that we may be able to get a read on the band, if he’ll cooperate and stick his leg out where we can see it!

In any event, enjoy the pictures and my report of today’s activity:
http://marchlords.com/birdblog/2009/03/mariahs-neuveau-beau.html

I had been downtown since 11:00 am, watching Mariah on Midtown Plaza. Dawn  joined me and we watched Mariah fly around Midtown to the north side. I thought she landed there, but when we checked, she was gone.

It was going on 1:00 pm, so we decided to drive over to the Andrew St. Bridge to try to find Mariah. A quick look at the east end of the pedestrian bridge showed that others had come out to watch Falcons. Every one of them had their binoculars pointed at the sky above. A quick look showed two raptors high above. One was Mariah and one was (we believe) a Red-Shouldered Hawk. Mariah was just soaring with the hawk. I never saw any aggression. Strange. They both flew off towards the east.

Dawn and I joined Larry O, Dan S, Brian H, Suzanne, Don, Jeanne, Lynda and Carol (another Carol) on the bridge. During the next hour or so, we kept seeing Mariah on the NE corner of Midtown. At one point, she flew off and stooped on what appeared to be a Crow, but we can’t be 100% sure. We were quite a distance away.

Around 3:30 pm, I left Larry O, Brian H, Kathy O, Dawn & Joyce on the bridge.
On my way home, I decided to take one more trip around downtown. Just as I arrived at Midtown, my phone rang. I heard Kathy O tell me in an excited voice that there were TWO Falcons flying around the Kodak Tower and that there was no aggression at all between them.

I tried to get back to the tower ASAP, but I caught every red light. Talk about
frustrating! By the time I got there, they were gone. I drove back over to the
east end of the bridge. Everyone there was talking excitedly about seeing Mariah and a Tiercel flying around the tower and I missed it!

Larry left and I stayed for awhile longer. I’m really glad I did.

Two Falcons came flying in from the south. Mariah in the lead the Tiercel
behind her. They both flew back to the Kodak Tower and around it. I quickly jumped in my car and drove over to the KTower.

Mariah had landed on the SE corner of the launchpad and the Tiercel was doing all kinds of fancy flying in front her. I really expected them to mate or
copulate, but it never happened.

There was glorious ee-chupping filling the air!

The Tiercel flew by Mariah, heading north and Mariah was off in a flash. They
both did a U-turn, heading back towards me. Both Mariah and the Tiercel flew over me, low, and at a great rate of speed. I just watched and enjoyed the show.

They took off heading south.

I joined the remaining Watchers and we waited to see if the Falcons would
return. When they didn’t, I said my goodbyes around 4:30 pm.

Kathy O called to tell me that both Mariah and the Tiercel returned to the Kodak Tower after I left.

It was a wonderful day for Watching Falcons and it gives me hope that all will be well with Mariah.

Carol P.

So much has been happening, including a new pair that has been spotted south of downtown Rochester.  So let me catch-up.

I’m sorry to say that as of this weekend, we have been seeing Mariah and the new banded Tiercel.  No Kaver sightings, yet.  The Falcon Watchers have seen them mating on the High Falls Smoke Stack near the Kodak Tower and the Bausch and Lomb Building, downtown.

We are not yet giving up on Kaver returning.  We’ll still keep Watching for his possible return.  But, if he doesn’t return (and believe me, we’ll all be very sad if he doesn’t), we’re very happy that Mariah will have a new mate and will hopefully choose a nest site soon.

The Tiercel has been seen on the Powers building twice that I know of.  No one has seen Mariah or the Tiercel on the Times Square Bldg.

We have seen them on the Kodak Tower and all over the downtown area.  If they’ve chosen a nest site, it’s not obvious yet.

Here are some KGallery Albums that I’ve put together from the last few days.

http://www.kodakgallery.com:80/ShareLanding.action?c=171aim5l.5iyo5erd&x=1&y=-tfljtn&localeid=en_US

http://www.kodakgallery.com:80/ShareLanding.action?c=171aim5l.74499s6x&x=1&y=-8g90yr&localeid=en_US

http://www.kodakgallery.com:80/ShareLanding.action?c=171aim5l.1ejds7ux&x=1&y=8rqxkq&localeid=en_US

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=171aim5l.548x4p3d&x=1&y=-8yv9hi&localeid=en_US

As Jim stated, this is all new territory for us here in Rochester.  We’ll keep Watching.

Carol P.

It was a gorgeous day yesterday.  By the time I arrived downtown at 11 am, Dana had already seen the Tiercel on the Powers Bldg.  We called Lisa McK to take a look at the cameras to see if they had caught him.  She had also seen them both sitting on the communication tower.

When I arrived, Mariah was up inside the elevator shaft and the Tiercel was on the top I-Beam of old Changing Scene’s Restaurant (OCSR).  They both took off and we were unable to find them.  So, we joined Dan S, Lisa McK, and Jim P on the pedestrian bridge.

Around 12:30 pm, Mariah flew in with food and landed on the north end of the Cross Rds Bldg.  Dana, Lisa and I drove over to the Andrews St. Bridge for a closer look.  Dana and I walked up to the building, while Lisa remained in her car.  She couldn’t stay for too long.

While Dana and I were photographing the fair Mariah, I heard the whinny call of the Tiercel as he flew in from the downtown area.  This little guy is very loud and well, whinny.  🙂

He attempted to land next to Mariah, but she wouldn’t let him, ee-chupping at him.  The Tiercel flew back to the OCSR and landed on top of the building above the elevator shaft.  He continued to cry while watching Mariah.  I have no idea if he is truly begging or if this is just his way of vocalizing.  Very different from Kaver.

After about a 1/2 hour, the Tiercel stooped off of the OCSR and chased a Coopers Hawk off to the west.  Mariah just watched for a moment and then continued to eat.  The Tiercel did not return.

When she was finished eating, Mariah took off heading towards the Kodak Tower.  She landed on the SE corner of the launchpad.  She then flew back to the communication tower.

Dana and I moved up to the Sisters City Garage.  Mariah flew off of the communication tower ee-chupping as she passed over heading towards the Cross Rds Bldg, where I believe the Tiercel was trying to sneak a bite of her leftovers.

She chased him off and he landed on the top I-Beam of OCSR, while she settled on the Cross Rds Bldg. and continued her meal.  I do believe that it was Mariah that reclaimed her meal, but without a scope, I can’t be 100% sure.

This is where I left them at 2:30 pm.  Dana remained for a little longer.

Kaver is due in next week.

Carol P.

The Watchers have spotted a Tiercel (male Peregrine Falcon) hanging out in Rochester over the past week.  At first we thought Kaver had returned earlier than normal.  But, Dana was able to get some really nice take-off shots on Monday and they show that he is a banded bird, so not Kaver.

Mariah has not been aggressive with this male, but neither has she been totally accepting.  On Monday, she and the Tiercel were sitting on the top I-Beam of the Old Changing Scenes Restaurant.  They were vocalizing to each other, but it sounded more like a begging cry from the male.  Could this be a young Tiercel looking for food?  He flew up into the elevator shaft and Mariah quickly chased him out.  Hmmm, maybe he found her secret cache of leftovers.

Kaver usually arrives in Rochester during the first week of March.  We’ll keep Watching.

Carol P.

I got a nice look at Mariah on the Kodak tower today, and I was able to hear and observe what might have been courtship behavior between her and a male falcon.  Has Kaver returned as well?  The jury’s still out, but you can read more about it and view pictures here:

http://marchlords.com/birdblog/2009/02/peregrine-courting-post-valentine.html

Jim Pisello

Mariah has returned to Rochester and our Winter visitors seem to have moved on.  Check out this KGallery Album which contains pictures from today’s Watch.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=171aim5l.bj31vnr5&x=1&y=f0u2lw&localeid=en_US

or tinyurl:

http://tinyurl.com/dem3c4

Enjoy!
Carol P.

When I arrived downtown on Friday (1/23/09) at 12:30 am, I was greeted by fellow Watchers Dan and Lisa McK.  They excitedly told me that the pair had bathed in the icy water of the Genesee River just in front of the High Falls. 

Dan told me the female had flown down first and remained in the water for close to 45 minutes.  The male joined her and after his bath, flew up to the corner of Jimmy Macs, at the west end of the pedestrian bridge.  The female flew up to the catwalk on the High Falls Stack and then to the Kodak Tower just as I was arriving.

I was sorry to hear that the I had missed this icy bathing episode.  But, I did get down to Jimmy Macs to visit with the male.  He was quite low and didn’t mind that we were taking pictures of his post bathing activity.  Here is a KGallery Album with pictures from that day.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=171aim5l.6ato7761&x=0&y=463mk3&localeid=en_US

or tinyurl:

http://tinyurl.com/bqf9l6

Enjoy!

Carol P.

No sightings of Mariah and Kaver yet.  But, the Winter visitors are keeping the Watchers busy.  They’ve been all over downtown Rochester and the Kodak Tower still seems to be a favorite perch for this pair.

On Monday, January 12th, Dana and I spotted both the male and the female sitting on top of the Powers Building, where the nest box from Kodak Tower had been relocated to.  The male was finishing the meal that the female had brought in earlier.

No ID on the female yet.  We keep trying, but she’s very elusive.

Carol P.