I arrived around 6:15 to catch dear little Zephyr walking the plank , very confidently, I must say traveling by talon back and forth on the OUTSIDE of the playpen. We were a bit nervous!

The other 3 Juvies were in the box and Susan B was on the perch. Susan B was flapping a lot.

Mariah and Kaver both brought in food one to the playpen and one to the nestbox.

Then the storm hit, Carol and I retreated to our cars to wait it out, about 6:20-6:50 pm. We saw a great rainbow over downtown as Lisa Mck joined us. It was great catching up with them as I hibernate all winter!

Our Favorite Kodak Security guard , Tom came by and was wearing his falcon watch button, proud that the supervisors were letting him wear it on his uniform! We saw Mariah join Kaver at the communications tower directly south of the tower,they sit there and watch the children very closely. Mariah would fly out and circle the tower to show Zephyr how to fly.

Zephyr went into the playpen during the storm which was a relief to know that he does know how to protect himself. But soon , he was back out on the ledge and starting to flap away . At one point he was on the edge of the corner and started to flap profusely…we thought this was it but he gained control!..It won’t be long now!

Mariah and Kaver flew a tandem stoop going south , but we never saw prey. They landed again on the comm tower. Kaver brought food to the playpen for Zephyr . Zephyr soon calmed down as he ate in the playpen area. We left at about 8 as the storm turned the weather cold. The babies were safe and Mom and Dad were across the way and watching over.

Tomorrow will be a big day …especially for Master Zephyr.

My Official Watch yesterday (6/17/08) was from 4 – 6:15 p.m., when Liza showed up. There wasn’t much activity during that time. Some flying by Mariah and Kaver, flapping by the eyases in the nest box, Susan B settled on the side of the nest box and of course, Zephyr running around like a, well like a very young Tiercel that is getting ready to fledge.

The thunderstorm hit around 6:30 p.m. It was really bad, with torrential rain, strong winds, thunder, lightning and hail. Liza and I ran to our cars, seeking shelter until it was over. My car was in the Kodak Visitor’s Parking Lot facing the tower. As I watched, the tower, lightning directly struck the lightning rod, also know as Kaver’s lilies, at the very top of the Kodak Tower. I was so thankful that Kaver had not chosen his favorite spot to wait out the storm. I don’t even like to think about what may have happened to him.

Right after the lightning strike, Mariah flew off of the tower and landed on the nest box to protect her young ones.

After the storm passed, there was a beautiful rainbow over the city of Rochester (NY). It never ceases to amaze me, what we see on our Falcon Watches.

Carol P. arrived around 10:30 and we soon saw vigorous wing-flapping at the west side of the nest box. (The cameras confirmed that it was Susan B on the ledge there). A few minutes later we saw Zephyr, flapping his wings in the playpen and running back forth as if encouraging Susan B to join him – which she eventually did, a few minutes after 11:00. Mariah moved to the ledge at the east side of the nest box. Kaver chased a turkey vulture away and returned to his lily. There was lots of wing exercising but no fledging, and also no feeding, before I had to leave at noon.

I arrived at the falcon headquarters (it’s a spot in the visitor’s parking lot across from Kodak) and Dan S. was there. Mariah was on the tower, Zephyr was next to the nest box and we saw 3-4 babies looking out. Zephyr discovered that he can go behind the nest box to get to either side of it. At one point I saw BYF (Big Yellow Feet). Mariah would periodically fly which is always a magnificent sight. It was quite windy so she would ride on an air current which meant
she would be in the air without flapping. It’s a really beautiful thing to see.

For a long time, Dan and I could not see Zephyr. Larry O. showed up and told us he was in the playpen! That explained that! The guys did see flapping wings from time to time. Lisa M and later Carol P came. And, the man of the hour, Kaver. He brought food and went to the playpen. We looked and Zephyr was OUTSIDE THE PLAYPEN!!! We need complementary nitroglycerin. Mariah, experienced mom that she is, took the food and brought it to the girls. This meant Zephyr went back inside the playpen! Whew!

Dan S. also watched as Kaver did a stoop toward the parking garage which is across the street and a little down from the parking lot we were sitting in. Mariah was on the playpen railing and we would see 3-4 of the little ones peeking out of the nestbox.

As Lisa and I were leaving, Mariah raced off the tower and met Kaver who came with food. Both went to the playpen floor, perching on the base of the railing. They fed Zephyr and the rest of his siblings were staring. Kaver flew off and Mariah stayed at the base of the railing by the playpen floor.

Jeanne