By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Brrr, 0(F) -18(C) degrees for most of my watch today-however, the sun came out and shone bright in the blue sky

Click on the pics to see the full version

I drove straight to the east side today to start my watch on Elm St. at 6:35am where I spotted both Beauty and Dot.ca (DC) on one of the northeast corners of Legacy Tower (LT) formerly Bausch&Lomb. Beauty had food and DC was watching intently

Beauty ate while DC kept an eye on the prize-he eventually rushed the Beautyful one and they both flew off in a blur. It was fun to see DC act like he wasn’t interested by turning away when Beauty would look over at him.

I went looking for them and I didn’t have to go far as I drove over to the Broad St. bridge (BSB) to find Beauty on the base of Mercury continuing to eat her breakfast while DC was perched under the northeast wing of Times Square (TSB) watching her from afar.

This went on for 10 minutes, then DC flew over- at the time, I thought he had tried to grab food but after examining my snippets I could plainly see that he mounted Beauty as she had lifted her tail while eating. It was quick but I got the snippet-he flew out over the river then returned and landed on the green part of the base for a split second then flew off. Beauty never stopped eating throughout this whole sequence. lol

DC didn’t return and when Beauty finished eating she went to the other side of the base out of view. Half a minute later I saw her fly off after a crow, stooping down in the river on it and then I lost her. I got out of my car to have a look at the river and was happy to see open water in spots. The thaw has begun finally.

After stopping for coffee I headed down State St. and spotted Beauty on the south side arch of Kodak Office (KO) while stopped at the traffic light at State and Andrews St. As I pulled over below KO around 7:40am DC was circling the tower. He made an attempt to land on the other side of the arch and changed his mind at the last second. I lost him when he flew behind KO. Beauty had her head tucked in and was all foofed up to stay warm as she rested and digested her breakfast.

I left her after a few minutes to look for DC-found him in his man cave on the south side ledge of the OCSR elevator shaft.

With not much going on downtown I left for home at Seneca Towers where I found no falcons. I did see Billie and 99 yesterday afternoon as they leisurely flew past my living room window instead of their usual faster than a speeding bullet, split second fly by. It was only 8:30am so I took a ride down St. Paul St. to check out Seneca Park and the water birds on the pond. I ended my watch at 9am.

They’re doing well-makes me smile knowing that the park keeps an open spot in the water for them! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/y7Oe2tdWeL4

http://youtu.be/u-o6NI1PL0E

http://youtu.be/iZwAJaR0jKA

http://youtu.be/mKPrTzJVLz8

http://youtu.be/AWSrIV4xufk

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Getting warmer as the temperature was 5 degrees higher this morning than yesterday at 14(F) -10(C) with overcast blustery conditions and very light snow in the air

I arrived downtown about 6:35am finding Dot.ca (DC) plucking feathers from prey on a southeast corner of Legacy Tower (LT) formerly Bausch&Lomb. I pulled over on Clinton Ave. across from Washington Square Park for the best view of him.

DC finished eating after a half hour then stood there on the corner for a few minutes before taking off heading north until he got to Broad St. then he hung a left to head west.

I caught up with him as I pulled over on State St. below Kodak Office (KO). He had joined Beauty on the south side arch-one of their favorite spots to hang out close to each other.

I shared space with the Beautyful one and DC until 8am at which point I wet home to Seneca Towers and found 99 on the top window ledge south end of the building.

I left him for a few minutes to check the north end of the building for Billie and I made it just in time to see her fly south off the top window ledge at the opposite end of Seneca Towers from 99. She didn’t return and she didn’t join 99 as I thought she might do. I returned to St. Paul St. to hang out with 99 for a little longer-he remained alert, watching some sparrows below him in a bush. With a depleted crop he was looking for a meal. I had to get going thus ending my watch at 9am smiling after seeing all 4 Rochester Peregrine Falcons! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/V1H2mDoH-rc

http://youtu.be/AJCq9xZAJa8

http://youtu.be/R_DAzIj2FDc

http://youtu.be/drdnMZu1ifE

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Yay, a temperature above freezing to start my watch at 33(F) 1(C) degrees-it was overcast but I’ll take small victories at this point

Click on the pics if you want to see the full version

I started this mornings watch with Beauty on the base of Mercury-she had her back to me from the Broad St. Bridge (BSB) so I went down to Bank Place in the hole where it meets Aqueduct St. She took off heading south over the river right after I got there.

Back up to the bridge where I spotted Dot.Ca (DC) on a southwest corner 0f Legacy Tower (LT) (formerly Bausch&Lomb) eating and Beauty was just flying off of Archer’s corner down to a northwest corner. She landed and took off again around the back where I lost track of her.

<DC eating>

I decided to go over to Court St. across from the Court St. garage to get a closer look and once there I spotted the Beautyful one on a southeast corner of LT opposite end of where DC was eating. I could only see his tail feathers at this time

DC finished eating, turned around to do some feaking as Beauty remained on her corner watching.

DC started walking away from the corner, pooped and was feaking as he walked further away from the corner. Beauty ended up flying over to finish off the scraps he left behind from his meal.

<Click it

Around 7:19am they both flew west. I ended up on State St. below Kodak Office (KO) watching DC on the southeast corner of the launchpad with a very full crop.

I left him to look for Beauty and I didn’t have to go too far as I found her eating on the Elwanger Barry building on State St. across from the Rochester Plaza Hotel. She took off to the east with her package soon after I stopped to watch.

I drove to the BSB and spotted Beauty come out from behind OCSR still carrying her leftovers-she flew over the Wilder building and then I spotted DC flying after her near the Times Square building (TSB). She landed under the northeast wing and went to the back of the ledge to start eating and DC landed under the southeast wing. I stopped by the Thomson Reuters building to take one pic.

<Click it

It was at this time Donna reported DC being at the nest box so he probably saw Beauty and flew out to meet her.  I then went down to the hole and parked on Basin St.-I didn’t have a great angle on Beauty but could see her head every now and then.

At around 8:15am I went to get coffee and when I got back DC was under the northeast wing with Beauty at the back of it still eating. He had his back to me so I thought I would go park on Exchange Blvd. in front of the Blue Cross Arena for a better angle.

Beauty finished eating and DC flew off to the north. She disappeared from my view so I assumed she snuck off as well so I went north to KO and found them both on the south side arch about 8:40am.

DC was awake and alert watching the territory and picking at his talons while Beauty slept on and off and picked at her talons as well. They both had blood on their feet from breakfast and nice full crops-just the way I like it!

I figured they weren’t going to do much so I left for home. I got to Seneca Towers just in time to see a falcon fly from the northwest corner heading south. I waited a little while but it didn’t return so I ended my watch at 9:05am. So our downtown pair are doing well and I got a glimpse of one of the ST birds too-they’re keeping me smiling! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

The cold is hanging on as it was 9(F) -13(C) degrees as I headed out today with overcast conditions. There is a Winter Weather Advisory out for later today bringing snow, freezing rain and rain

Click on the pics to see the full version

After taking yesterday off from falcon watching to have a test performed on me I was ready to see our beloved falcons today. As I made my way downtown I got tweets from both Shaky and Donna (thanks guys) saying that Beauty was at the nest box and Dot.ca (DC) was on cam 1 (pan cam) so I knew exactly where to go-I parked on Basin St. in the hole next to the Wilder building. I couldn’t see Beauty from there but I could keep track of DC who had his back to me.

While I was fixated on DC, Beauty snuck out of the nest box (as reported to me by Donna-TY) and ended up under the northeast wing of Times Square (TSB).

She didn’t stay there for long as she flew over to Widows Walk and checked out some cached food that was in the snow there. The Beautyful one left without any of it and flew north.

As I was tweeting DC left cam 1 as well. I caught up with them at Kodak Office where Beauty was on the northeast corner of the Launchpad and DC was on the northeast corner of the playpen netting right below her. I parked north of KO on State St.

Beauty looked down at DC and at 7:40am she flew down to the playpen directly below him-he was still on the netting at the northeast corner and now it was his turn to look down at her.

Just before 8am DC took off heading south and Beauty followed right behind. I found DC on the east side railing of Widows Walk (WW) and Beauty under the northeast wing with her back to me. I parked back on Basin St. again to watch them

As I was answering a phone call both Beauty and DC left without me seeing them. I stopped for coffee then ended up back on State St. with Beauty who was back on the northeast corner of the playpen. 10 minutes later DC showed up landing on the northeast corner of the launchpad above his Beauty.

I left them a little after 9am to head home to Seneca Towers. I spotted both Billie and 99 on the northwest corner from the Northridge Church-she was down below the railing and he was above her on the pipe near that corner.

They both took off heading south while I was taping them-they flew past me directly over St. Paul St. and disappeared behind some pine trees. Less than a minute later they returned with Billie going back to the northwest corner with food and 99 watching her from the railing above her.

Billie plucked some feathers but not so many that would lead me to believe she had a fresh catch-it was small whatever she had and didn’t take more than 10 minutes to finish it off.

Just as I was about to leave 99 flew off over Buffalo Billie and made a U-turn going over to the other side of the railing above her, then they both flew north over the river at 9 :40am.

It was a productive morning watch for me as our 4 Rochester Peregrine Falcons are getting busy now as their hormones push them to pursue each other in courtship practices. Some exciting times are ahead in the near future which will have us all smiling! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/SCi5x3SoFcU

http://youtu.be/jXSlKYICXS4

http://youtu.be/6hTjDORreiE

http://youtu.be/uJJspWtQP-c

http://youtu.be/MbCdbIPD1-0

http://youtu.be/2F-_fbKUWr0

http://youtu.be/R6pYrPyMSZE

By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.

My first stop was Kodak Park West, where I found no falcons.  I headed downtown and found Beauty on the north end of the Cross Roads Building and Dot.ca nearby on the northeast corner, top IBeam of OCSR.  It was snowing lightly through most of my watch and the temps were in the mid-20’s (F).

First Dot.ca took off, flying north along the river.  Just as he passed over the Andrew St Bridge, Beauty took off and followed him.  There was no vocalization by either of them.  They both stooped down over the High Falls.  I could not see what they were after from my parking spot near the Radisson.  I drove over to the Andrew St Bridge and spotted a falcon on the northeast corner of the launch pad on the Kodak Tower, so that’s where I headed next.

As I was approaching the tower, a 2nd falcon flew up to and around the Kodak Tower, landing on the northeast corner of the playpen.  A closer look showed me that it was Beauty on the playpen corner and Dot.ca above her on the launch pad.

I stayed there for about an hour, hoping to see them do some hunting.  But they remained where they were, not moving except to look around and do some preening.  Since all was quiet and peaceful downtown, I decided it was time to check out Seneca Towers (ST).

On my way, I checked out the Hawkeye nest box (no falcons there) on my way.  This is certainly a spot that Billie and 99 may choose as their nest, so I will continue to check this location.  There were no falcons on the south end of ST, but I did find one on the top window ledge at the north end.  I was too far to ID this falcon.  It took off and flew around a bit, then landed on top of an antenna on the north end.

I ended my Sunday watch at Russell Station (RS) and a nice ride along the lake.  There were no falcons RS.  I was happy to see that there was a lot of open water on the lake and lots of different ducks and gulls were gathered there.  I really hope that it doesn’t ice over like it did last year.

I was happy to end my watch after seeing three of our four Rochester Falcons on this first day of March.

Saturday Buffalo Falcon Watch – 2/28/15

Now for the Buffalo part of my weekend falcon watch.  My good friends and fellow Watchers, Lisa McK, Kathy O, Dana and I had been planning a road trip over the past month.  We wanted to check out the Buffalo area, especially wanting to check on Diamante and his mate Gleig at Central Terminal.  But before we headed to Buffalo, we made a stop in Batavia to check on the Snowy Owls that are continuing to be seen at the airport there.

We had almost circled the whole airport when we finally found a Snowy on the roof of a building behind the fence.

Lisa pulled over to the side of the road and we all got that sinking feeling.  lol  Yep, the side of the road that looked like snow on pavement was actually the edge of a ditch and we settled into it.  Thank goodness for AAA!  We were out quickly and on our way.

The Snowy had left while we were stuck, but we found a Snowy on a building a little way down the road.  Not sure if this was the same Snowy Owl or not.

Saturday was a bright, sunny day, but still very cold with temps in the low 20’s.  We left this beautiful Snowy and we shuffled off to Buffalo.  Our first stop was Central Terminal, which was surrounded by HUGE piles of snow.  I had heard that they were dumping snow here from the surrounding area.  We found no falcons here, so we headed to Buffalo’s Outer Bank, where Diamante had been seen and photographed hunting.  We found no falcons there, but we did find a falcon nest box on the Holcim building.  But instead of a falcon being in residence, a murder of crows had taken it over.

We headed back to Central Terminal and this time we were in luck.  Kathy O spotted a falcon on a light on a lower section of the building.  Dana was able to see that there was a green/black band, but could not read the #’s.  We were pretty sure that this was Diamante.  He flew down to the top of the building and went out of view for awhile.  He popped back up and took off from the roof, clutching prey.  Diamante flew around the front of the building landing on the corner of a higher section, where he settled in to eat his meal.  Lisa spotted a 2nd falcon up at the top of the building.  There was no way to ID this falcon, but we hoped that it was Gleig.

Diamante took off and flew to the back of the building.  We tried to find him, but we couldn’t.  Gleig remained at the top of the building.  For those that don’t know, Diamante is the son of Rochester’s Mariah and Kaver and Gleig is Pigott’s sister.  They are Billie’s parents.

We headed over to the University of Buffalo to check on Yankee and Dixie.  No falcons were at the nest box, but we did finally find one on a nearby building.  The white wash down the whole side of the building was a dead giveaway.   Based on size, we thought this might be Dixie, although we never were able to see the bands.

We checked around the campus for a 2nd falcon, but could not find one.  It was time to head back over to Central Terminal for one last look before heading to dinner at the Anchor Bar.  Diamante had returned to the ledge he had eaten on earlier, but we could not find Gleig.  We ended our Buffalo Falcon Watch after seeing three of the resident Buffalo falcons.  It had been a wonderful day seeing Peregrine Falcons and Snowy’s and spending time  with good friends.  The weekend is over, can’t wait for the next one!  lol

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Something new today (not)-it snowed throughout my entire watch. The temperature was 12 (F) -11 (C)

Click on the pics to see the full version

I went straight over to the east side today, bypassing the OCSR elevator shaft-that was a bad call as when I did check from the Radisson Hotel I could barely make out both Beauty and Dot.ca (DC). He was on the north ledge and she was on the south ledge.

The snow got lighter at times so my camera could focus better. DC flew out around 7:40am heading southeast so after he didn’t return a few minutes later I left the Beautyful one to look for him.

<Click it

I went southeast as that was the general direction DC was flying, but he fooled me by going west at some point, for I found him on Widows Walk northeast corner.

DC departed at 8:13am-I watched him go east over the river then he hung a left and headed north toward OCSR.

I knew exactly where to look for DC-he had returned to the north side ledge of the OCSR elevator shaft to be with his mate. I left downtown at that point to see if I could catch Billie and/or 99 home at Seneca Towers. As luck would have it, they were both on the north end of the building on the top window ledge in very close proximity to each other when I arrived at 8:30am. I parked at the Northridge Church to observe them from a somewhat long distance.

99 had his back to me, but that’s ok because he was watching his girl and she was watching him and they seemed to turn their heads in unison every time to watch something in their territory. Billie, true to form did a little preening , stretching and scratching-she reminds me a little of Pigott, who also kept busy when she was perched.

We shared space until 9:11am when Billie spotted something to the east and flew off, followed 6 seconds later by her mate 99. They were cruising as I lost sight of them over route 104-they didn’t return so I’m hoping they caught breakfast.

Not a bad watch as I saw all 4 Rochester Peregrine Falcons and that folks, will put a smile on my face every time! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/3MGLQs4-bFE

http://youtu.be/pCxt09VRRLo

http://youtu.be/EzJn10l5R5M

http://youtu.be/0olbRbCztY8

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

A cold start at 6:30am as I left home with a temperature of 0 (F) -18 (C) degrees, but the sun came out and the high today is forecast for 22 (F)

Click on the pics to see the full version

No falcons seen at Seneca Towers either before or after my downtown watch. I bypassed the OCSR elevator shaft this morning and headed over to Elm St. where once again I found Beauty eating on a northeast corner of Legacy Tower (LT) formerly known as Bausch & Lomb (B&L).

Beauty finished eating, came out to the corner for some feaking action then she took off flying northwest at 6:57am, as she has done most days the last couple weeks.

I caught up with her as I pulled over in my spot at the Radisson Hotel by Main St.-she was on the south side ledge of the OCSR elevator shaft and Dot.ca (DC) was on the north side ledge finishing up a meal. When he was done he did some feaking and talon picking. The Beautyful one was feaking as well-you know what they say: the pair that feaks together, stays together!

<Click on pics

DC flew out and over to the top I-beam southeast side of OCSR for just a short time and then he flew off over the river to the east only to fly back to display his flying skills to Beauty as he passed by her in the elevator shaft twice. He then landed on the small I-beam between the elevator shaft and the building.

Off he went again to make 2 more passes and also there was echupping each time he went by. I got the feeling DC wanted to mate with Beauty but wouldn’t try it in the close quarters of the elevator shaft. He ended up flying back to the north side ledge of the elevator shaft and disappeared to the back of it.  The sun washed DC out in my pics of him passing by Beauty, but he shows up better in my snippet video albeit they are brief glimpses, you get the picture. It was almost like he was swooping as in the old days, only flying up at her instead of down. At the time we thought it was aggression but maybe it’s just his way of courting.

<Click to see DC flying up to ledge

I stayed and looked at Beauty’s back for half hour or so while DC hid on his side of the elevator shaft. I ended my watch at Seneca Towers at 8:30am. I do believe our downtown pair is ready and raring to get courtship, mating and bonding duties going-now we just need the weather to cooperate and melt the snow in the nest box! Stay tuned and keep smiling, I know I will! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/Cwl1PDGpJaI

http://youtu.be/6OT26F6t6M4

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Brrr, another cold one in store today but at least the sun shown bright as the temperature was 2 (F) -17 (C) with calm winds

Click on the pics to see a full version

When I left Seneca Towers at 6:30am there were no falcons present. Once downtown, I bypassed the OCSR elevator shaft this morning and went right straight over to Elm St. to check Legacy Tower (LT) (formerly Bausch&Lomb). From there I spotted Beauty eating on a northeast corner.

Beauty filled her crop stood up, feaked then flew off to the northwest at 7:17am

I drove down Main St. to the Radisson Hotel in time to see both Beauty and Dot.ca (DC) on the top I-beam southeast side of OCSR. As I pulled into my spot, DC flew over to the base of Mercury. I left to go up on the Broad St. Bridge where I could see them both without having to crank my neck, when I got over there DC was gone from Mercury and up by the Main cam on the nest box deck. Before I could even grab my camera he took off again flying very fast to the east, crossing the river and out of view. He soon returned and joined the Beautyful one on OCSR who had her back to me.

<Click it

Beauty couldn’t decide how she wanted to be situated as she kept turning to the side then showing her back-meanwhile, DC was doing some serious preening and looking blindingly white in the sun.

Beauty showed her full crop then turned around once again

DC followed suit and turned his back to me as well-they were sunning their backs, something they haven’t gotten to do too much in February. I left them at 8:30am.

<Click it

Things are going to start heating up one day soon as the sun and warmer temperatures will melt the snow and falcons will start doing what they do during the courtship part of the season. They’ve been to the nest box pretty much every day for the last week. Once the snow melts in there, bowing to each other and digging out a bowl in the gravel for their eggs. Copulating will begin if it hasn’t already and we’ll be off and running.

When I got home to Seneca Towers I spotted a falcon on the north end of the roof. I parked at the Northridge Church to observe-it was 99.

At 9:26am 99 pooped and flew off soon after out over the river then back to Seneca Towers to land on the top window ledge of the north end.

I stayed about 10 more minutes then I ended my watch to go warm up my frozen feet. I saw 3 out of our 4 Rochester Peregrine Falcons-3 great reasons to smile! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/bz74O4CAo9I

http://youtu.be/oebwGwPBsV8

http://youtu.be/6AamkDElC_4

http://youtu.be/tWb9NLbDXvQ

http://youtu.be/Sgiw7GUK0N0

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was 10 (F) -21 (C) overcast and calm as I headed out for my morning watch at 6:30am

Click on the pics to see the full version

For the second day in a row there were no falcons in the elevator shaft when I checked. I drove around to Elm St. to check the east and north sides of Legacy Tower (formerly Bausch&Lomb) where I spotted the top half of Dot.ca (DC) on a southwest corner eating.

I decided to go up on the roof of the South Ave. garage for a better look and when I got up there I could also see Beauty who was at the opposite end from DC on the southwest corner-Archer’s corner. She was watching him eat and just as I started taping Beauty flew over to join DC. He backed up away from the few tidbits that were left as they both did some echupping. The Beautyful one finished eating DC’s meager leftovers quickly while DC did some feaking and cleaning himself up.

They stayed there for a couple minutes and as I was tweeting they left the building without me seeing which direction they went.

So I wound my way down the ramp garage and checked the OCSR elevator shaft first where I found DC on the south side just standing there in his man cave with a full crop. There was no sign of Beauty anywhere in the vicinity of OCSR or Times Square. It wasn’t until just before 8am that I found her on my third try of checking Kodak Office (KO).

I left Beauty around 8:45am watching over her territory and when I got home to Seneca Towers my welcoming committee was perched on the top window ledge of the south side. I went into my parking lot for a closer look at Billie on one end of the ledge and 99 on the opposite end with his back to me.

<Click it

Buffalo Billie was preening on and off while 99 would look over his shoulder every once in a while to give me a look at his face.

I watched them until 9:30am as Billie gave me a parting gift-a poop shot!  I drove down the east side of the building where I park my car and as I was backing into a parking spot I looked toward the south end of the building and saw, who I think was Billie, flying in from the east to the south end and disappear.

<Click it

So naturally, right after I left them that’s when they decided to fly around. Murphy’s Law!! That’s ok, because I got to see all 4 Rochester Peregrine Falcons today and that is good for the making of a smile! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/D9fR25M7GXo

http://youtu.be/YZ5hMeHdXwk

http://youtu.be/hS_z0qp4DfY

http://youtu.be/jJp8ToqgR_Q

http://youtu.be/eMdtltu8yR4

http://youtu.be/0i6VFepxJPA

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK It was snowing and blowing when I left this morning with a temperature of 20 (F) -7 (C) conditions were changing in intensity but the sun broke out just before I ended my watch

I started my watch at 6:45am about 5 minutes before sunrise checking the south side ledge of the OCSR elevator shaft from Bragdon St. I could barely make out the frame of a falcon thru the darkness and snow that was falling and blowing sideways.

After finding nothing on the north ledge I made my rounds checking the east side, Times Square area and when I looked at Kodak Office (KO) from the Andrews St. bridge I spotted a falcon on the southside arch. When I arrived in my spot on State St. I thought it was Beauty and tweeted it was her and that DC was the one in the elevator shaft. It wasn’t until Beauty flew in and landed and on the opposite side of the arch that I realized it had been DC up there and Beauty in the elevator shaft. I just love it when they switch up their routines to fool me!

When the snow started to come down hard DC moved to the back of the ledge until it let up-Beauty just foofed up her feathers and took a nap.

When the sun came out they both started preening

I had to leave our beloved pair after a short watch and on my way to an appointment I passed by Seneca Towers to check for Billie and 99-no luck there.

I didn’t see them when I got home either but the sun was shining brightly and after the weather we’ve been having that is reason enough to smile! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/Mj2RyNWpWtQ

http://youtu.be/jl6otIBgfJw

http://youtu.be/eb7FFL9HKQs