rfalconcam - FalconWatch

FalconWatch

Eyes to the Skies

Archive for the ‘Falcon Watch’ Category

Morning Falcon Watch/unbanded juvie at Hawkeye 9-9-15

Wednesday, September 9th, 2015

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

The day started at 75 (F) 24 (C) degrees which is the average high around here this time of year! It was a bit muggy but not as much as the past few days with clear skies

The Seneca Towers pair were once again on the north end top window to greet me as I started my watch. Today they were both preening so I spent a little more time with them than usual as they aren’t too active first thing in the morning.

img_0002-billieimg_0003-sethimg_0004-bs

While I was taping a video of them Seth tried to catch a bee-they are very hyper right now as they prepare for hibernation in the coming weeks. They have been swarming every falcon I’ve seen lately.

img_0005-seth1img_0006-things-are-looking-upimg_0007-billie

On my way downtown I came across an unbanded adult falcon on the railing by the nest box at the Kodak Hawkeye (HE) plant. I believe this was the same one I saw there this past Monday.

img_0010-unbanded-adult-at-heimg_0011-he-falconimg_0013-he-falconimg_0019-location-shot

He flew off to the south at 6:54am about the same time Shaky tweeted that a falcon was on the Powers building near the nest box. I went further down St. Paul St. across from Avenue D where I watched the HE falcon hunt everything that was in the air. He ended up stooping behind some houses past Avenue A out of sight and I never saw him again.

img_0020-he-falconimg_0021-there-he-goes

Onward to downtown where I spotted Dot.ca (DC) under the northeast wing of Times Square (TSB) and Beauty with her back to me on the east side railing of the Powers building as I was stopped at the traffic light of Clinton Ave. and Broad St.img_0022-dc-from-clinton-and-broad-st

As I crossed the Broad St. bridge I didn’t see Beauty any more so I went down to Basin St. in the hole to watch DC around 7:30am. He was looking over the area quite earnestly for a breakfast item to catch as his crop was empty.

img_0023-dcimg_0024-dcimg_0026-looking-below

Cam watcher Donna reported that Beauty was near the nest box on the Powers building. Thanks much! I had to go to the back of the City Hall parking lot to see her and I could also see DC over on TS as well from there.

img_0033-beauty1img_0034-bdcimg_0035-dcimg_0040-taken-from-end-of-pindle-alley-city-hall-parking-lot

While I was taping a video, both Beauty and DC flew off and right about that time a worker from Frontier stopped to chat with me. During this time I lost track of the falcons. I think DC and Beauty both visited in the nest box, although I didn’t see DC exit so I can’t be sure. I did see the Beautyful one go in and come back out.

img_0044-beauty-or-dc<Clickimg_0045-going-inClick>img_0048-beauty1

Beauty left the Powers building just before 8am and flew to the TSB coming to rest under the northeast wing where DC had been earlier. I think the fact that they were both on their nest building is encouraging that they will choose t=it over the Powers nest. Crossing my fingers!

img_0055-beautyimg_0057-beautyimg_0058-beauty

I watched her from Basin St. in the hole as she kept track of the area until 8:10am when she spread her wings and flew off to the northeast.

img_0062-beauty-ready-to-goimg_0067-we-have-liftoffimg_0068-on-her-wayimg_0070-b-bye-beauty

I wasn’t able to find Beauty or DC again and I saw no falcons at Hawkeye, Seneca Towers or the Medley Centre. I ended my watch at 9:15am after seeing all 4 resident Rochester Peregrine Falcons and a bonus unbanded one to keep me smiling! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/NgHcf0Pjvuc

http://youtu.be/EotQICScmZE

http://youtu.be/jtBnaMqiQ_8

http://youtu.be/5c5cGlTWYX8

http://youtu.be/A5WykMJWoe0

Morning Falcon Watch/juvie at Medley Centre 9-8-15

Tuesday, September 8th, 2015

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

A balmy 71 (F) 22 (C) and once again humid with a hazy sky

Billie and Seth started my day again as they were perched on the top north end window ledge of Seneca Towers. They showed a little sign of life a couple of times but for the most part remained pretty motionless as they usually are first thing in the morning.

img_0002-bs3<Clickimg_0005-sethimg_0009-billie

img_0007-seth1img_0010-hey-there-buffalo-billieimg_0013-billie

I arrived downtown on the Andrews St. bridge just around 7am where I spotted Dot.ca (DC) on the northeast corner of the Kodak Office (KO) playpen netting (a favorite spot of his to hunt from). I went down to State and Platt St. to hang out with him as he was scoping out his kingdom. He lost his balance once and caught himself by spreading out his wings.

img_0018-dcdc-catches-his-balanceimg_0019-dc

I left his whiteness to look for Beauty and I found her near the northeast corner of City Place from State St. on my second trip around. I arrived at the Hochstein School of Music parking lot where I’m friends with the parking attendant around 7:35am. He lets me park by his booth while the parking lot fills up with paying customers, so I’m out of the way. He told me that there had been a lot of noise out of the falcons this morning so perhaps a juvie was involved.

img_0030-hmm-better-file-those-babiesimg_0031-beautyimg_0033-beautyimg_0035-mornin-beautyful

The Beautyful one stayed up there with her back to me for 30 minutes looking to and fro, then she flew east at 7:55am. I love how the sun illuminated her.

beauty-ready-for-take-offbeauty-is-offimg_0037-off-she-goes<Click

I would drive around searching for the next 40 minutes and in my travels I saw a falcon briefly on the east side top railing of the Powers building while I was stopped at the traffic light at Main and State St. It was gone when I found a spot to stop and check it out. I then saw a falcon at the base of Mercury with what looked like prey from the Andrews St. bridge but again, it left before I could get to the Broad St. bridge for a closer look.

img_0042-it-has-foodimg_0042-looks-like-leftovers-for-somebody

I wasn’t able to locate any more falcons downtown so I left for the Medley Centre hoping to catch Big Frank but for the third day in a row I missed him. However, after my second trip around the mall an unbanded juvie showed up on the glass peak over the carousel. This juvie looked a lot like Sellie from Seneca Towers to me but there’s no way of proving it.

img_0043-unanded-juvie-at-medley-centreimg_0044-bye-mak

It was definitely a male juvie and I shared space with him for only 5-10 minutes before he took off to the west in the direction of Seneca Towers and the river. I lost sight of him as he went beyond the Target store that’s next door to the Medley Centre.

Click>spread-out1capturestraight-up-wingsno-bling

That’s all she wrote as I drove home smiling thinking that I had just saw one of Billie and Seths’ kids one more time! 🙂

Click on the links below to view today’s videos

http://youtu.be/Qk3KUEDmzMI

http://youtu.be/RJdMnPXdTHM

http://youtu.be/wMCzuxRvtaw

http://youtu.be/CjP5PJko5CM

Morning Falcon Watch-a visitor at Hawkeye 9-7-15

Monday, September 7th, 2015

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

The starting temperature this morning was 69 (F) 21 (C) with bright blue skies and sunshine

I started my Labor day in the company of Billie and Seth who were on the north end of Seneca Towers across from each other on the top window ledge.

img_0002-billie-and-seth<Click

Nothing new there but as I made my way down St. Paul St. toward downtown I spotted a falcon on the north end of Kodak’s defunct Hawkeye (HE) plant. I pulled into the parking lot across from HE to check out who this might be. At first it looked dark in the front but different angles showed that it was not so dark.

img_0005-looks-small-and-dark-hawkeye-unbanded-adultimg_0006-he-falconimg_0008-he-bird-looks-a-little-lighter-here

There was a flock of small birds that flew below this unbanded, and based on size a male (tiercel). He started looking down and then dove off straight down swooping back and forth before stopping.

img_0011-spreads-its-wingsimg_0015-sees-something-belowimg_0016-straight-down-building

He didn’t resurface so I drove over to the driveway for the Rochester School for the Deaf where I found him on a guardrail behind a chain link fence on the HE property.

img_0019-on-the-guardrail-behind-hawkeyeimg_0022-he-falcon

He jumped down to the pavement and proceeded to walk over to a half eaten mourning dove (at the time I thought it was a pigeon). On the video I taped you can see many, many bees buzzing around him.

img_0023-hawkeye-north-endimg_0025-walking-over-to-get-preyimg_0026-lots-of-garbage-around-hawkeye

I think he would have started eating right there had it not been for the bees. He soon took off with his food heading out over the river gorge out of view. It was 7am when Larry tweeted from the Andrews St. bridge (ASB) that he had a falcon at the Powers building nest.

unbanded-adult-falcon-at-hawkeyeleaving-with-preyready-to-take-off

I figure it must have been a migrating bird as I left for downtown. From the ASB I spotted a falcon on the northeast cube and east side platform railing of the Frontier Communications tower (FCT).

img_0028-taken-from-asb

While I tweeted it out the railing bird left and as I looked south over the river I saw 2 falcons flying southeast. One just past the Radisson Hotel and the other behind the Federal building. Beauty was most likely one of them and the other might have been an intruder or a juvie-no way of telling. I left to check the FCT falcon and found that it was Dot.ca (DC). After reviewing my pic on the computer screen I believe it was Beauty on the railing.

img_0031-dcimg_0032-dcimg_0033-dc

Larry reported seeing a falcon at 7:13am from the Broad St. bridge fly from Times Square northwest and then he and Harold came to the Hochstein School of Music parking lot to join me for a few minutes. Larry decided to head home but said he would check the Xerox area which is the direction Beauty and the other falcon were flying. I took a couple more pics of DC, who had walked to the corner of the cube, then headed that way myself.

img_0036-dcimg_0038-dc

No sightings on the east side and when I returned to FCT, DC was gone and the Beautyful one was just flying in from the southeast. She landed on the top arm at approximately 7:45am.

img_0041-beauty-sticking-her-neck-outimg_0045-beautyfulimg_0046-beauty-watching

Beauty did a little preening but she was in hunt mode and kept looking below her. While I was taping her she dove off the arm and when she resurfaced she was chasing 3 pigeons. Beauty was unsuccessful in catching any of them and then she flew north toward Kodak Office (KO).

beauty-ready-to-divebeauty-going-after-pigeons

I headed north and from Verona St. on the west side of KO, I spotted Beauty up on the northwest corner of the launchpad.

img_0048-beautyimg_0050-beautyimg_0052-hello-beauty

It was starting to heat up so I left Beauty for Irondequoit to check the Medley Centre. I didn’t find Big Frank or any other falcons there or on the way over. I ended my watch a little after 9am with a smile after seeing all 4 resident Rochester Peregrine Falcons and a bonus visitor at Hawkeye! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/oQ1ZxOfAoyU

http://youtu.be/94gloS3y6NM

http://youtu.be/_XTSiKkzPj4

http://youtu.be/nSUcROWHxKE

Morning Falcon Watch 9-6-15

Sunday, September 6th, 2015

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was 71 (F) 22 (C) with a breeze and  hazy skies

My watch started out with Billie and Seth at the north end of Seneca Towers-them on the top window ledge and me in the back of the parking lot. I often wonder if they roost there at night or just meet up in the morning.

img_0002-seth1img_0003-bs<Clickimg_0004-billie1

So after checking on them I headed downtown. As I was on the Andrews St. bridge I saw a falcon on the Kodak Office launchpad but by the time I got over there it was gone. I checked all the usual spots and it wasn’t until I got over on Woodbury Blvd. around 7am on the east side of the river that I found both Beauty and Dot.ca (DC) on one of the southeast corners of Legacy Tower (LT) previously known as Bausch&Lomb).

img_0006-bdc

I drove around the corner to Clinton Ave. and parked in front of Frontier. DC decided to move up a little higher while I was driving over there.

img_0007-dc-moves-up-a-little<Clickimg_0009-taken-from-clinton-aveimg_0010-dc1img_0012-beauty

Beauty flew off at 7:17am, DC right behind her as they circled the building a couple times. DC flew north and Beauty landed on a southwest corner of LT then immediately flew north as well.

img_0013-beauty-takes-off<Click>bdcimg_0015-beauty-flying-past-lt

img_0016-beauty-on-ltbeauty-leaves-lt

I headed north myself and found the Beautyful one on the northeast cube of the Frontier Communications tower.

img_0018-beautyimg_0024-foofer-girlimg_0025-stretch-that-neck

She did a little preening and looking around as she stand perched up there. I was parked in the Hochstein School of Music parking lot.

img_0028-beautyful-preenerimg_0029-beauty

Beauty walked over to the south end of the cube after she was done preening and started closing her eyes so I left her to look for DC whom I never did find again.

img_0031-hi-beautyful1img_0033-rouse

I left downtown for Medley Centre but there was no Big Frank or any other falcon there. I also checked St. Ann’s Home and Rochester General Hospital on my way home-nothing seen at either location. There also were no falcons in sight at Seneca Towers so I ended my watch at 9am. I saw all 4 resident Rochester Peregrine Falcons on watch so I was smiling! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/a6GzUsvZwVk

http://youtu.be/9C__P-CnP60

http://youtu.be/5nfQFt2Pqd0

http://youtu.be/2AZCz_ZBdZU


Saturday AM/PM Falcon Watch – 9/5/15

Saturday, September 5th, 2015

By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.

11:00 am t0 2:30 pm

Very hot and humid with temps in the mid-80’s.

Kathy O and I arrived at the Medley Center at 11:00 am.  We circled the mall and ended up on the north side with no falcon sightings.  It was already well into the 80’s and very humid.  About 15 minutes after we arrived, a falcon flew over the mall and low over the north side parking lot.  The gulls that had been gathered there screamed and took off as quickly as they could. But they were no match for the Peregrine flying through them.

Down went the falcon, landing on the parking lot out of our view.  We moved closer.  The falcon was up in the air again, chasing the gulls and diving on them.  It continued to gain altitude. Higher and higher and further to the west.  We saw the falcon pass St. Ann’s and fly down into the tree line beyond it.  We waited to see if it would return.

About 5 minutes passed and we saw a falcon coming back towards us with a large bird grasped in its’ talons.  The falcon flew to the south side of the mall, so that’s where we headed.  We found the falcon with a pigeon on the corner of the brick building just west of the carousel bldg.

For over an hour (11:30 am to 12:40 pm), the falcon ate, filling its’ crop.  I was determined to proof that this was Big Frank. Finally, as the falcon finished eating and took off, I was able to see the black over black band on the left leg and no band on the right leg.  It was Big Frank (BF).

Here are some pictures that I took while BF ate on the Medley Ctr Bldg.

Big Frank at Medley Ctr -9-5-15Big Frank at Medley Ctr -9-5-15Big Frank at Medley Ctr -9-5-15

Big Frank at Medley Ctr -9-5-15Big Frank at Medley Ctr -9-5-158-big-frank-at-medley-ctr-9-5-15

Big Frank at Medley Ctr -9-5-15Big Frank at Medley Ctr -9-5-15

Big Frank at Medley Ctr -9-5-15Big Frank at Medley Ctr -9-5-15

Kathy and I believe that Big Frank is a female, based on size and what prey Big Frank was hunting today (pigeons & gulls).   Especially after seeing her carry back a pigeon such a long distance.  Tracy from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation did warn us that we might have a Big Frankie!  🙂

I’ve seen tiercels (males) successfully hunt pigeons, Dot.ca being one of them.  But they don’t usually carry such large prey for long distances.

After leaving Kathy, I headed downtown.  I looked all over, but could not find any falcons.  So, I headed to the pedestrian bridge to check out the gorge.  It was so hot and humid.  Almost unbearable, except for a slight breeze now and then.  I spotted a falcon in the Falcon Sucking Tree facing away from me.  It was Beauty and she was wet.  Probably took a bath in the river water below.

Beauty in the FST -9-5-15Beauty in the FST -9-5-15

At 1:50 pm, I heard the gulls in front of the High Falls scream.  I looked just in time to see a smaller falcon dive on the gulls and pass in front of the falls.  It turned and steadily gained altitude, flying above me.  At first I thought it might be a juvie, but after checking my flight shots, it was Dot.ca.  Beauty turned for just a moment, watching him fly off and then turned back around, facing the falls.

Dot.ca Fly Over -9-5-15Dot.ca Fly Over -9-5-15Dot.ca Fly Over -9-5-15

Dana joined me for awhile.  We watched Beauty continue to preen out her wet feathers.

Beauty in the FST - 9/5/15Beauty in the FST - 9/5/15

Beauty in the FST - 9/5/15Beauty in the FST - 9/5/15

At 2:18 pm, Beauty left the gorge.  It was time to end my watch.

One more thing.  Yesterday morning, I found Beauty on the gorge wall, enjoying the cooling spray from the High Falls.  It is very difficult to find a falcon there.  Here’s an example of what I saw.  Can you find the falcon in the first picture?  Enjoy!

Beauty on the Gorge Wall -9-4-15Beauty on the Gorge Wall -9-4-15Beauty on the Gorge Wall -9-4-15

Morning Falcon Watch 9-5-15

Saturday, September 5th, 2015

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was a humid 66 (F) 19 (C) degrees when I started out with blue skies and sunshine

Billie and Seth were there on the north end top window ledge of Seneca Towers to greet me this morning. They played a switcheroo on me with Billie at the west end where Seth usually perches and Seth at the east end where she usually stands. He watched as she preened and so I left them to head downtown.

img_0002-bs2<Clickimg_0004-billieimg_0007-seth

I pulled over on the Andrews St. bridge to do my usual check of the north side of things and when I looked to the Kodak Office (KO) tower I spotted a falcon flying off the launchpad and going into a stoop down toward the river gorge. I drove down to State and Platt St. in time to see Dot.ca (DC) land on the northeast corner of the playpen netting at just before 7am.

img_0009-dc-on-ko-nettingimg_0010-dcimg_0011-dc

DC turned his back to me facing to the north so I went down to Brown ans State St. to watch him.  A few minutes later while I was taping him Genesee flew in quite vocally and knocked dad off and took his spot. DC flew up to the north side of the east arch then flew across to the south side to face his son.

img_0012-dcgenesee-kicks-dad-off-spotimg_0015-dad-and-son img_0018-location-shot-from-brown-and-state-st

Genesee spread his wings for balance as he turned around where I could see the front of him while DC looked on and listened to his boy whine practically non-stop.

Be sure to click on all my pics to see the full version

img_0019-dc-watching-geneseeimg_0027-genesee-turned-aroundimg_0028-genesee-squawking-at-dcimg_0022-genesee-turning

I do believe Genesee is having difficulty keeping himself fed and so comes back home to beg for food from Beauty and DC from time to time. It’s surprising to me, if that’s the case, because he seemed to be more advanced than the rest of the brood from the very start.

Anyway, Genesee flew off to the southeast around 7:10am and returned coming to rest on the KO cupola northeast side then proceeded to walk over to the southeast side where I couldn’t see him. I went down to State and Platt St. to find him.

img_0031-genesee-on-ko-cupolaimg_0032-from-brown-and-state-stimg_0033-walking-to-south-side-of-cupolaimg_0035-genesee-watching-something-above1img_0036-from-platt-and-state-st

DC remained on the east arch looking north while Genesee looked south and finally stopped whining. The boy flew off while I was watching DC on my camera screen so I missed his exit. I left for downtown and as I was pulled over on the Court St. bridge to check the east side buildings I spotted Genesee on the base of Mercury.

img_0038-genesee-from-court-st-bridge

I then whipped over to the Broad St. bridge to get closer. Genesee spent 5-10 minutes looking around then flew southeast at 7:49am into the horizon until I could no longer see him.

img_0039-geneseeimg_0040-geneseeimg_0044-mr-bee-coming-for-ya-genesee<Click

img_0045-genesee-about-to-take-offimg_0046-genesee-heading-southeast

After searching unsuccessfully for Beauty and Genesee I stopped to check on DC at KO before leaving downtown. He was still on the east side arch but was back on the north side of it as I checked from the south and north side of KO.

img_0049-dcimg_0052-dc

As I crossed the Veteran’s Memorial bridge I could see a falcon on the north side top window-probably Seth in his spot. I continued on to the Medley Center where initially there was nobody present. I waited about 10 minutes when Little Big Frank (BF) came flying in from the southwest and landed on the front of the glass peak roof over the carousel. Some pigeons caught his attention below and then he flew off.

img_0056-little-big-frankimg_0057-bf-watching-birds-belowimg_0058-bf-takes-off

BF then landed on the southeast corner of the brick roof down from where he was just perched giving me a very up close and personal view of him.

img_0060-no-band-on-right-leg<Click>img_0064-bf-airs-out-his-wingsimg_0062-handsome-bf1img_0066-big-frank

He did a little preening and wing stretches but mainly he was looking for a meal and he was also looking very handsome!

img_0067-bfimg_0075-falcon-powerimg_0076-rouseimg_0077-ya-put-your-left-wing-up

img_0082-location-shot<Click

img_0086-bfimg_0087-all-foofed-upimg_0090-give-me-a-secondimg_0095-bf-preening

We shared space for about 40 minutes then Big Frank flew off to the north in a big hurry and so I too, flew north to Seneca Towers where I ended my watch at 9:30am.

img_0096-b-bye

With the exception of seeing Billie first thing, my watch consisted of all the boys today and they sure did make me smile! 🙂

Click on the links below to view today’s videos

http://youtu.be/DtiiDFgMzkQ

http://youtu.be/wtbzKAz007g

http://youtu.be/GxdkrWefS7M

http://youtu.be/ZKppp-7kd9Q

http://youtu.be/oFONHSiK9to

Morning Falcon Watch 9-3-15

Thursday, September 3rd, 2015

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Hazy and humid is the way it’s been around here and the forecast doesn’t call for anything different until the middle of next week. The sun broke thru the haze somewhat with a starting temperature of 69 (F) 21 (C)

Billie and Seth greeted me once again from their spots up on the top north window ledge at Seneca Towers. I didn’t stay more than a few minutes with them this morning.

img_0002-bs1<Clickimg_0003-billieimg_0004-seth

I checked all the usual spots downtown and as I was crossing the Court St. bridge to check the east side I saw a dark figure on the west side ledge below the roof on the Rundell Library . I backed up and pulled over on the south side of the bridge to observe Beauty who was eating on the ledge.

img_0005-good-morning-beautyfulimg_0008-beautyimg_0010-location-shot-taken-from-court-st-bridge<Click

She ate for a few minutes then stopped and looked around for a while. She turned outward while and I got the feeling she might be looking for one of her kids to share the fresh red meat she had.

img_0014-beautyimg_0022-lots-of-loose-down-feathers

The Beautyful one resumed eating around 7:20am. She has a lot of loose white down feathers as she continues the molting process.

img_0027-beauty-eatsimg_0028-down-the-hatchimg_0029-nice-fresh-meat

When Beauty was finished eating she roused and started feaking and picking lots of leftovers off her talons.

img_0032-rouseimg_0043-time-to-clean-upimg_0045-nibbling-talon

img_0047-byfimg_0050-feakingimg_0055-cleaning-her-talons

As soon as Beauty was done cleaning up she flew off to the north then she headed west after she got behind OCSR toward the Frontier Communications tower (FCT).

img_0057-and-shes-offimg_0058-look-at-all-those-loose-white-down-feathers

The take off shots show evidence of the many white down feathers that are just waiting for her to pick or shake off. I left for the City Hall parking lot as I was sure Beauty had gone to FCT. I found her on the north side platform railing and upon checking below the platform I spotted Dot.ca (DC) on the east side red section.

img_0059-beautyimg_0064-hey-there-beautyimg_0066-dcimg_0068-bdc

They weren’t doing much of anything so I left them to rest around 8:30am as it was starting to heat up.

img_0069-dcimg_0071-dcimg_0072-beauty

I drove to the Medley Centre mall in Irondequoit to look for Little Big Frank (BF) and I wasn’t disappointed as he was on a round vent cap just northeast from the carousel roof. He was hunting and keeping a low profile.

img_0074-little-big-frankimg_0077-bfimg_0078-bf

BF was facing the north mostly as I was on the south side of the mall. A Great Blue Heron started circling above then made its way out of the area heading toward the Irondequoit Bay.

img_0082-gbh-in-flightimg_0086-gbhimg_0087-bf

At about 9am BF flew north out of view to the other side of the mall so I drove around to check it out as he was in hunt mode. I found him on the tallest peaked glass roof.

img_0092-hey-thereimg_0093-bf

BF spread his enormous wings and took off  in a big hurry heading west. I circled the mall a couple times but he didn’t return.

img_0095-see-ya-big-guy

I ended my watch at 9:15am after seeing all four resident Rochester Peregrine Falcons and a potential resident named Little Big Frank. Smiling-you bet! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/cRrAe3u0lRc

http://youtu.be/7HakOwy-w1A

http://youtu.be/X0X5JBalldo



Morning Falcon Watch 9-2-15

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2015

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Another hazy humid morning but a bit brighter than yesterday with a starting temperature of  65 (F) 18 (C)

Billie and Seth started the morning with me on their north end top window spots as I looked on from below at the back of my parking lot at Seneca Towers.

img_0002-bs

They don’t do much other than gaze across at each other when the day starts so when someone stretches I get all excited. Seth stretched, Billie and I watched and that was it for action. lol

img_0007-seth-stretching-outimg_0010-billie

I left them to it and headed downtown where I spotted a falcon from the Andrews St. bridge (ASB) on the base of Mercury with its back to me.

img_0012-taken-from-asb<Click

I set out immediately for the Broad St. bridge but it was gone when I got there. As I sat there in my car I noticed the sun in my side view mirror peaking out from behind HSBC-the haze muffled its brilliance so that you could look at it without squinting. I then went to the east side to look for falcons and again the sun got my attention as I was behind HSBC at this time.

img_0014-sun-peaking-out-from-behind-hsbcimg_0015-sun-in-a-hazy-sky

No PEFA sightings on the east side but I did find Dot.ca (DC) around 7:15am on the northeast corner of the Kodak Office launchpad. I drove to my spot near Brown and State St. to face him as he looked to the north. He pooped then turned his back to me.

img_0016-dcimg_0020-poop-with-an-extension-lol

A minute later DC ran down to the southeast corner of the launchpad showing me his back again so I moved down State St. further by Platt St. to get a side view of him.

img_0022-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-sideimg_0023-dc-arrives-at-his-destinationimg_0026-dc

DC looked over his shoulder in my direction every once in a while and at 7:47am he flew off to the east and that would be the last I saw of him or any falcons downtown.

img_0028-a-cloaked-villainimg_0032-dc-takes-off

Beauty is in vacation mode I think, where she leaves downtown on and off either keeping track of her kids or just enjoying her freedom. I made a few more trips around but gave up and left to check out the Medley Centre. No Big Frank and no juvie seen there this morning so I headed home after a few rides around the mall. As I pulled over on East Ridge Rd. by St. Paul St. I spotted Buffalo Billie on the northwest corner of Seneca Towers eating just around 9am.

img_0035-billie-has-plenty-in-her-crop

She had quite the bulge in her crop that was hanging over the food. She stopped eating only a couple minutes after I arrived then turned her back to me. With that, I took off for Seth Green Dr. where I could see the front of her. To my delight Seth was on the west side railing not too far away from his mate. Now I knew why she stopped eating-didn’t want to share her breakfast with him.

img_0037-bsimg_0040-youre-not-getting-this-food-from-meimg_0041-mak-she-wont-share

Seth turned around and spread his wings which prompted Billie to mantle her food. He then walked down closer which made her give him a verbal warning that he was close enough.

img_0042-maybe-i-can-scare-her-into-giving-me-someimg_0043-bsimg_0044-ibetter-mantle-this-food-hes-coming-down-here

img_0045-thats-it-im-getting-closerimg_0046-billie-says-no-way-busterimg_0047-ok-honey-i-wont-push-it

Seth gave her a half hearted Falcon Power sign then flew off to the north, circled around and landed farther down on the west side railing which seemed to satisfy Billie as she started eating again. He kinda looked my way as if to say she won MAK!

img_0049-seth-shows-falcon-power-signimg_0052-im-leavingimg_0056-satisfied-with-the-distance-billie-resumes-eatingimg_0058-she-won-mak

I ended my watch at 9:45am not only smiling but chuckling out loud from what I had just witnessed! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/VuRgefTq2wc

http://youtu.be/HXewRrIglog

http://youtu.be/V2bjeRdWWBs

http://youtu.be/C6_brLFzB68

Morning Watch 9-1-15

Tuesday, September 1st, 2015

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Foggy, hazy, humid overcast were the conditions for this mornings watch with a temperature of 69 (F) 21 (C)

The dark conditions are making the falcons look dark-even Mr. Whiteness himself (Dot.ca) isn’t looking all that white the last couple days. That being said I was fooled into thinking I was looking at Billie on the north end top window of Seneca Towers when I started out this morning. It turned out to be Seth on the wrong end of the window to further mess me up.

img_0002-seth

I drove out to my spot on Seth Green Drive where I spotted Billie on the west side railing. I’ve not seen a ST juvie in a few days so I suppose they’ve left the area. It could have been one of them at the Medley Center the other day with Big Frank but since they aren’t banded there’s no way of saying for sure.

img_0004-buffalo-billieimg_0006-billie

Buffalo Billie flew off at 6:56am going down the face of the west side around the south end then north. I have a feeling she went to the back of the building to join Seth. I opted to go downtown at that time.

img_0007-b-bye-billie

It wasn’t until my second trip around downtown that I found Dot.ca (DC) on the northeast corner of the playpen netting of Kodak Office at 7:20am. I parked at Brown and State St. as he was facing north.

img_0009-dc

DC flew off a few minutes later then landed on the southeast corner of the launchpad. He looked to be in hunt mode with a depleted crop.

img_0012-dc-going-in-for-the-landingimg_0013-dc

He was facing south so I went down to Platt and State St. to watch him. DC didn’t stay long before he was flying off to the northeast rather nonchalantly.

img_0015-dc

I left when DC didn’t return and after checking the Times Square area to no avail from the Broad St. bridge I turned my attention to the river below. Among the usual suspects was a Great Blue Heron walking in the shallow water near the Rundell Library. Unfortunately, no place is safe from littering humans as the remnants of a beer party were on the flats.

img_0019-gbhimg_0022-quack<Click>img_0025-nothing-is-safe-from-bad-humans

img_0026-the-gull-section<Click>img_0027-little-fallsimg_0028-bigger-falls

I made a couple more unsuccessful trips around downtown then headed for the Medley Centre in Irondequoit. Arriving around 8:30am I found Little Big Frank (BF)on the roof top vent cap where the carousel is housed-he was in hunt mode.

img_0029-big-frankimg_0033-big-frankimg_0036-bf

BF stretched his neck way up a few times as he was zeroing in on prey, then he would turn and crouch down, and back to his original position facing me. One time as a pigeon landed on the lower end of the roof below him he strteched out his wings and I thought he would go but then he settled back down.

img_0039-bfimg_0041-bfimg_0047-big-frankbig-frank

BF flew northwest then doubled back and ended up on the roof peak further to the east from the carousel roof peak. I found him there when I drove around to the north side of the mall parking lot.

img_0048-bf

BF decided to take off while I wasn’t looking and I didn’t see him again. I ended my watch at falcon-less Seneca Towers  at 9:45am.  There wasn’t a whole lot of action today but of course just seeing falcons is enough to make me smile! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/7nqARftwDOc

http://youtu.be/FcOdWxcSR_s

http://youtu.be/i7lyct0iLi8

Morning Falcon Watch 8-31-15

Monday, August 31st, 2015

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was mainly overcast and hazy with a temperature of  65 (F) 18 (C)

I started my watch with Billie and Seth again this morning as they were in their spots opposite each other on the top north window ledge of Seneca Towers. I’ve not seen a juvie here in a few days. I left them preening to go downtown as I was anxious to see Beauty since she had not been seen in a couple days.

billie-and-seth<Clickimg_0005-billie3img_0006-seth1

As I landed on the Andrews St. bridge (ASB) I spotted Dot.ca (DC) and Genesee flying in between the Crossroads and OCSR buildings. Genesee landed near the northwest corner of Crossroads and immediately started eating as dad flew on to land on a top arm of the Frontier Communications tower (FCT).

img_0008-genesee-on-crossroads-from-asbimg_0011-dc1

I drove down on State St. across from the Rochester Plaza Hotel that has recently been taken over by Holiday Inn. Genesee didn’t eat for long so it was a small piece of food that he may have gotten or stolen from DC.

img_0017-geneseeimg_0018-geneseeimg_0019-genesee1

Genesee flew over to FCT screaming at DC then they both flew east over the hotel out of view. A couple minutes later one of them came back thru landing on the top arm of FCT then off to the south. I took a ride around town and found DC on the northeast corner of the Kodak Office (KO) launchpad around 7:15am.

img_0022-dc

I was cinched in at Brown and State St. to watch our fast little flyer as he launched himself into a stoop only to return and land on the northeast corner of the playpen netting.

img_0022-dc1img_0029-dc-into-a-stoopimg_0032-dc1

He barely got settled before he was off again going into a stoop passing in front of me right over State St. to the north out of view quickly. Holy FAST flying falcon! He returned empty taloned then stooped to the east before coming to rest on the southeast corner of the playpen netting.

img_0033-dc-off-againimg_0038-see-ya

Once again he was off after a few minutes heading northeast and returning to the northeast corner of the netting around 7:45am. Phew, he was wearing me out just watching him!! I left when I spotted a falcon landing on the middle arm of FCT. With its back to me from the City Hall parking lot it looked dark and so I thought it was Beauty.

img_0041-dc-off-againimg_0044-dc1img_0047-dcimg_0049-genesee1

At 8amI decided to go down in front of City Hall on Fitzhugh St. for a better angle and when he turned and spread out to walk further in on the arm I could see the leg bands identifying him as Genesee.

img_0059-geneseeimg_0060-geneseeimg_0063-genesee

Genesee got settled with his back to me so back to the City Hall parking lot I went. He stayed about 20 minutes then flew north out of my field of vision. As I left I checked to see that DC was still on KO so I went in search of Beauty.

img_0067-find-the-falconimg_0068-genesee

I didn’t have to look for long as I spotted her on the base of Mercury  from the Broad St. bridge at 8:30am with her back to me at first but then she turned and picked up prey in her beak. Soon feathers were flying as she started to prepare breakfast.

img_0072-beauty-shares-space-with-a-beebreakfastimg_0076-feather-face1

She barely got started when a screaming Genesee came flying in fast from the east and knocked her off. It all happened so fast I didn’t know if he took the food or if it was left behind. One of them flew back toward Mercury then disappeared behind Thomson Reuters. I had just begun to zoom in on the Beautyful one for a video when it took place so you can see the mugging. haha! 5 minutes later I saw Beauty land on the east side platform railing of FCT as I was stopped at the traffic light at State and Church St.

img_0078-beautyimg_0081-beauty1

I left downtown to check the Medley Center before ending my watch. All I saw there were a couple turkey vultures and some pigeons.

img_0085-tv

On my way home I checked St. Ann’s Home and the Rochester General Hospital but saw no falcons. To give you an idea where the Medley Center (2.5 miles from ST)and other buildings are situated I took pics from the east balcony on my 16th floor at Seneca Towers.

img_0090-taken-from-east-balcony-at-st<Clickimg_0091-mc-beyond-high-riseimg_0092-medley-center-from-east-balcony

I ended my watch at 10am content that Beauty was ok and most certainly smiling because of it! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/iulP4sSWcGc

http://youtu.be/GSqh9MrFxJo

http://youtu.be/HG9LDuEmgNM

http://youtu.be/0alMzktZaJc

http://youtu.be/vXefmY3Wtes

http://youtu.be/rmH35ZDVkqk


Sponsored By

Times Square
powered by Shakymon