Rochester Falcon Watcher:  Carol P.

After a marathon 15 hour Falcon Watch yesterday, I was happy to just sit in the sun and enjoy the company of my fellow Watchers for a very quiet Watch tonite.  Callidora had returned to the Times Square bldg (TSB), Jemison had been reunited with his wayward sister and Archer and Beauty seemed content to hang out with the kids.

When I first arrived, Jemison was sitting on the front (east side) of the TSB, one level up from the nest box.  Callidora was on the same level, south side.  Archer was above them on the base of the SE wing and Beauty was flying around, keeping watch over her family.

Lots of Watchers gathered during the time I was on Watch.  Carrie, Jeanne, Joyce, Kathy O, MAK, Dana, Lou, Marcia L, Carla P, Mark B, Dan and Lisa McK.

Our only excitement was when Beauty brough in prey, something big.  Probably a pigeon.  Jemison had flown around a bit and landed just below Callidora and that’s where Beauty brought the food.  She spent quite awhile feeding Jemison while Callidora screamed for her share.  But Beauty decided to just feed Jemison and left with the remainder to cache away for later.

We thought that maybe Beauty was not feeding Callidora for a reason.  Maybe to help with her fledging.

The rest of my Watch was uneventful.  Jemison returned to the nest box area, Archer was still on the base of the SE wing of the TSB, Beauty was on the top I-beam of the old Changing Scenes Restaurant and Callidora was still in the same spot on the south side of the TSB.

All was quiet & peaceful when I left at 7:00 pm.

I wasn’t officially watching but was there today for some of the exciting developments!

When I arrived, MAK told me she had been watching Callidora on the Jail and was going to station herself there! Great idea! I saw Jim P and Jim D taking pictures. Jemison was in the nestbox area and A/B were each on a corner of the building. All was pretty quiet for a couple of hours. Archer did chase a very small bird but came back empty taloned:)

MAK left after 10 and I went to the the Jail to watch Callidora. Thankfully, Dana took pictures of the area because she blended right in with the architecture. Callidora preened and walked (at one point slid) as she made her way up and down the structure. At times, she walked inward or was resting and it was impossible to see her. Fortunately, Carla and Theresa could see her from work. Twice, I saw an adult fly over head. The second time, I did not see Calli. A short time later, I saw two falcons fly in the air. I left to go to the Times Building.

When I arrived, there were three falcons and no Calli. Did I imagine this? Lots of watchers were out– Joyce, Lynda, Tim, Debbie, Larry, Jim P, Shaky, Carrie and then Carla, Theresa, Dan. Even the parking enforcement man stopped by to take a look!
Beauty would take off and fly and a few times Jemison. He made it to above the river beyond the Mercury statue. Jemison ahs awesome flights but Beauty keeps him reined in. Typically, when he flies out, she is nearby and will bring him in. Today, she and Archer did this. At one point, we had all three and Dan saw a little head peak out. Sure enough, it was Calli! Shaky has a picture with an arrow to where she is. What a relief to have all 4 there.

Jemison took a jaunt to the Telesca building and then flew out. Escorted back by his parents, he landed on the top left of the structure around from Calli. (He also landed with precision on the metal structure between the wings. Awesome)!

When I left, all was calm an especially happy knowing our little gal is back to Times Square

Larry O

Quick lunch stop. Pulled over on Plymouth and located Callidora on the jail roof. Shortly thereafter, Beauty came by. I did see Callidora either step onto the roof or flatten herself such that I could not see her anymore. But she was up there.

Then I went over to Broad St and caught up with everyone. The best part was having three falcons in the air at one time. That was B & A & J. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such activity over the skies of Rochester. The flying was not audacious in any sense, but all three were up and about.

Archer eventually headed out on a hunt which ended behind Xerox. I’ve no idea what happened, but he returned empty-taloned. Beauty stayed in the area except for a fly-by on Callidora.

Jemison got a meal up at the scrape.

Callidora remained disappeared. Jim P went over to look for her. I came across him and [Debbie H] on my way back to work.

Nice lunch-time break.

Watcher: Jim P

We located all four falcons this morning. Callidora is still on the north side of the Monroe County jail. She appeared comfortable and in no hurry to leave. Presumably one of the adults will eventually tempt her back to the Times Square building. Jemison perched on the Main Cam platform after flying in shortly before I arrived. Archer showed up near 9AM, and when I left he and Beauty were on the parapets at the base of the wings, both with a direct view of Callidora.

Watchers included Jeanne, Jim D and MAK.

Rochester Falcon Watcher: Carol P.

What a day!  I’m not even going to mention Watcher names.  I think every Watcher that could make it downtown came to help search for Callidora, even two ladies from Watertown!  🙂  Even the Falconcam team held their meeting near the Times Square Bldg.  Everyone wanted to help.  In all the years I’ve been a Rochester Falcon Watcher, we’ve never lost a bird during fledging, and it wasn’t going to happen now!

As both Larry O and Jim P reported, at 12:30, Callidora took flight from the Talesca bldg aka the Four Corners bldg.  All day, Beauty had been bothered by workers on a building just north of the Times Square bldg (TSB).  They couldn’t have chosen a worse day to start working on the roof of this building with Callidora just fledged.

When Callidora took off, she headed towards the TSB, gaining altitude.  She landed on the metal grid work at the top of the TSB, clinging like a bat.  She never did land on a ledge.  When she let go, she flung out her wings and headed towards the river and then swung around the Blue Cross Arena aka War Memorial.  Her intentions were good, she really did try to return to the TSB, but she was tired.  We lost her somewhere over the Civic Center.

Watcher spread out and attempted to find her with no luck.  All afternoon Watchers began to gather.  Everyone was really concerned for Callidora’s safety.  I think most of us walked a few miles today, checking building roofs, getting inside taller buildings to check the roofs below.  No one was able to find her and it was starting to get dark.

Around 8:30 pm, Larry decided to take one more walk around the area.  With Cleo by his side, he headed west down Broad St, crossing Exchange St.  At the same time I heard him yell something out from across the street, I noticed that Beauty was skimming the tops of the buildings in the area that we thought Callidora had landed.  I quickly caught up with Larry and Cleo and we continued to walk west.  Other Watchers joined us, walking and in cars.  By this time Beauty had continued west and we thought maybe she had been on a hunt and nothing else.

Larry and Cleo were first around the the corner on N Fitzhugh, now heading south.  The rest of us were hanging back, checking the buildings.  This is when Larry yelled out, “I HAVE CALLIDORA!”  “I SEE A RED BAND!”  We all ran towards Larry’s position and one by one we saw what he saw.  A beautiful brown just fledged juvenile name Callidora!  and Beauty was flying just above her!

The Rochester Falcon Watchers arrived, gathering in the dark on the corner of N Fitzhugh and a no-name one-way street, next to a very old, beautiful church.  She was on the roof of the Monroe County Jail on the north side, not very far from the TSB.

We were all so relieved.  WooHoo’s! echoed thr0ugh the nite.  Both Larry and Cleo got lots of hugs tonite.  🙂

For 8 hours we had lost our wayward traveler.  But now she was safe and we were happy.  I had drained 3 camera batteries tonite and didn’t have even enough power to take one picture of Callidora.  But, it didn’t matter.  My long lens friends were clicking away.  There will be plenty of pictures for everyone to see.

It was a long day of Falcon Watching, but it was all worth while.  My thanks to everyone that made it out to help find Callidora.  What a great group you are.  and special thanks to Larry O and Cleo.  We can all sleep easier knowing that she is safe.

When I left, Jemison was safely on top of the TSB and Beauty was on Mercury’s foot.  I’m not sure where Archer was.  What a wonderful way to end this day.

Larry O

After a neighborhood assc meeting to discuss an planned development, I headed downtown to walk around and get some exercise. I pulled up to the Broad St bridge and Cleo and I jumped out to get an update on Callidora.

Jim P and Shaky told me that Jemison was on TS, but that Callidora was still not found. Lots of people were downtown keeping an eye out for her.

Since everyone had good coverage on the east side of TS, Cleo and I headed down Broad St to the west to get on the opposite side of the Civic Center which is where Callidora was last seen flying.

It didn’t take long. Keeping my eyes to the skies, I caught a PF fly over Broad St from the Civic Center and then cross back to the Civic Center. She was not too high up. I figured it was Beauty because the flying was too good. Carol P caught up with me and we continued down Broad St looking for Beauty.

We pretty quickly found her over the Civic Center. The question became “Why?” Then Beauty threw us a curve and flew way out to the west — out of view.

I turned down Plymouth to pass behind the jail. Watching the ledge lines and scanning with binocs, I finally found a PF on the jail roof ledge. I alerted the others via radio, and kept watch.

Callidora obliged me by showing her red band. That settled it. Cleo and I had found Callidora. She was looking none the worse for the wear. Beauty kept coming back in and going out, so it became clear that Beauty knew where Callidora was. That’s good because Beauty will keep an eye on her during the night.

Most of the watchers made it over and we all commented on how perfectly Callidora was camoflaged against the background. She was not easily seen.

It was time for Wegman’s – a bachelors got to eat, just like a hungary eyas.

Watcher: Jim P

Highlights of the watch are below. I’ll post more details when I have time.

Lots of kacking from Beauty. Callidora left Four Corners around 12:30, landed on TSB briefly, then flew again. Watchers lost sight of her over the Civic Center, south of TSB. Larry O thought she landed there, Carol and I couldn’t see her when we went up to Mark’s office in TSB. Got a call from watcher Debbie who thought she saw Calli on the western, lower portion of Times Square. Carol and I searched that side but didn’t see her. However, Beauty was on the NE wing root looking unconcerned, so we think Callidora may just be out of sight on the roof. Watchers are aware and keeping an eye out.

I’ll post full details and pics later. For now, here’s a shot of Callidora as she passed overhead on her way back to Times Square (click it for a bigger view):

Jim P.

Larry O

Quick wrap-up of how I was briefed on arrival.
Callidora stayed on the Tellesca Bldg since about 6:00 am. Beauty was protective of her due to the presence of workers on the roof of the next building over.

Watch: All was pretty quiet with all four sighted: Callidora on Tellesca and the other three on TS.
Then Beauty took off, kakking loud, over Callidora. (I did not see the reason, but guess that the workers were back.) Callidora lifted off pretty quickly, arced over our heads, and headed back towards TS where she made a not pretty but still impressive landing. She had the more characteristic up-swoop at the end rather than a straight-in approach. She made the landing high up on TS.
For reasons unknown, she then took off again, and arc’ed over Exchange St towards the river, passing over the War Memorial. We lost sight of her, but she reappeared over Broad St – heading towards the Civic Center Plaza. Then we lost her again. She did not reappear.

Best guess is that she is somewhere on the Civic Center which is big expanse of 3 – 4 buildings.

I had to return to work. The watchers are looking for her. The other three were on TS when I left.

Watcher: Jim P

Carol P, Jim D and I watched the falcons this morning. Archer, Beauty and Jemison were all on the Times Square bldg, with Callidora on the Four Corners bldg, which is next to the TSB on the corner of Main St. and Exchange Blvd.

Beauty & Archer both flew by Callidora trying to get her to fly back to the nest box, but she was content to stay where she was. All 4 were in sight when I left at 9. Carol took the day off so she’ll be out watching most of the day. I’ll be back downtown at lunchtime.

Rochester Falcon Watcher:  Carol P.

As Larry O reported, we were witness to Callidora’s first fledge flight.  It wasn’t pretty but most first time Peregrine flights aren’t.  🙂

While Larry, Jeanne, Margaret and Darlene ran towards the intersection of Exchange and Broad to try to find her, I was on the phone with Jim P.  “Please move pancam down to the top of the Wilder Bldg.  Callidora just fledged and that’s where we think she landed!”  Jim quickly moved the camera and told me he could see her on the west side of the Wilder Bldg roof and she seemed to be in good shape.  Whew!

I joined the others near the Wilder bldg.  Callidora was above us, running up and down, wings flapping.

During the next few hours, more and more Watchers gathered to watch our newest fledgling.  Kathy O, Lisa McK, Dana, MAK, Jeanne, Margaret, Carla P, Joyce, Diana R, sorry if I missed anyone.

Callidora seemed content to walk and flap around the roof of the Wilder bldg while her brother Jemison took flight multiple times.  Each time joined by Archer and Beauty.  One time he made it over to the top of the Cross Rds bldg, which is just north of the Wilder bldg.  I really think he could have easily joined his sister at anytime.  He elected to keep flying with his parents, each time being returned to the Times Square bldg.

I left the other Watchers at 8:30 pm.  Archer had brought in food to Jemison at the nest box.  Both Archer & Beauty were on the Times Square bldg where they had a good view of Jemison and Callidora on the south side of the Wilder bldg.

I’m sure she’ll be perfectly safe where she is under the watchful eyes of both of her parents.  Tomorrow is another day of adventures for our young fledglings.  Stay tuned!