By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was 22 degrees (F) 6 (C) as I started my watch this morning a bit cloudy at first but the sun rose above the clouds and shone bright with beautiful blue skies

I spotted Beauty from Woodbury St. on the southeast corner of the south side of Bausch & Lomb (B&L) around 7:20am. I drove around to Broad St. to find that she had moved to the east side of B&L on another southeast corner and she was plucking feathers to prepare her breakfast.

About 15 minutes later she stopped eating and took her cache to the next southeast corner where she left it before flying to the last southeast corner.

At 7:44am she flew off B&L and went to the nest box-I left my spot on Broad St. and followed her and stopped on the Broad St. Bridge (BSB) to get a pic. Dot.Ca (DC) came in and landed under the northeast wing of the Times Square building (TSB).

<DC

Both Beauty and DC snuck off the building when I wasn’t looking and a couple minutes later Beauty appeared under the southeast wing.  I almost drove thru a huge pothole  as I was noticing the sun peeking up thru the clouds.

<Click it to see pothole

Around 8:15am the Beautyful one flew off to the northeast crossing the river and flying out of sight. I left for the Brighton site (BS) after that.

Arriving at BS at 8:30am as I came around to the east side of the building I spotted Pigott on the corner below the roof top tree. She flew off as I pulled around and circled the building 3 times before flying southeast out of view. A few minutes later Miss Pigott returned landing under the rooftop tree on a top window ledge of the southeast extension. She proceeded to bring up a pellet-in the last pic below you can see the pellet in her mouth starting to make its way out.

Pigott snuck off around 8:45am when I wasn’t looking so I headed back downtown to  see what the Beautyful one and DC were up to. When I arrived I went to the hole to watch Beauty who was on the base of Mercury-she didn’t stay long as she flew over to Widows Walk for a split second then back around the TSB and landed on the southeast ledge above where Calidora and Orion fledged to.DC arrived under the southeast wing.

<Beauty <Click to see DC  and Beauty>

Beauty and DC then flew down to meet at the nest box-I’m not sure who went in first but Beauty landed on the deck by the main cam and then proceeded into the nest box

DC flew out and up to the northwest wing ledge where he grabbed a food cache and started plucking feathers in a frenzy-a boy gets hungry when he is in courtship mode. He stopped suddenly and flew northeast.

I couldn’t see if Beauty was still in the nest box from the hole so I drove up to the BSB where I could clearly see that she was there.

It was about 9:20am and time to end my watch-and what a busy watch it was as our falcons are really getting into courtship mode now. Everyone can smile right along with me as I saw all 3 Rochester Peregrine Falcons and y’all at home are getting to see action at the nest box! 🙂

Click on the links below to view more pics and videos from todays watch

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AaN3DFm0ZMWqjW0

http://youtu.be/hJRzbOjjsFQ
http://youtu.be/wNQF6XQ2nyA
http://youtu.be/0L2jWsoNCy4

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

This morning it was overcast with a temperature of 34 degrees (F) 1 (C)

It took me about 25 minutes for my first falcon sighting in the form of Dot.Ca  (DC).  As I came back from the east side of town from the Broad St.Bridge (BSB) I saw him under the northeast wing of the Times Square building (TSB).

DC was eating up there as I parked down in the hole behind He’s Chinese for a visit with our resident male around 6:45am. He waved hello to me!

While I was watching DC on my camera LCD screen I heard Beauty vocalizing-I looked around but couldn’t find her. She may have been in the nest box-I can’t see in there from the hole. I went up on the BSB to have a look/see but she wasn’t in the nest box so I drove over to the east side of the city while DC cleaned himself up from his meal. As I looked to the east side of Bausch & Lomb (B&L) I spotted the Beautyful one from Chestnut and Broad St. but she flew off as I pulled over. I watched her fly straight to the Mercury money bag (MMB) so I drove straight to the hole and parked on Bank Place where it meets Aqueduct St. (the hole) to share space with Beauty around 7:15am.

10 minutes later Beauty flew to the nest box and DC remained above under the northeast wing as I went back up to the BSB to watch. She looked up at DC as he took off at 7:38am and followed him only to return half a minute later and land on the main cam.

I then went back to the hole behind He’s Chinese to watch Beauty preen and relax a bit.

I thought perhaps DC had gone to the Brighton site (BS) since that’s the direction he was headed when I last saw him so I headed there myself. He wasn’t there but Pigott was and she was playing peek a boo with me as I could only see her head poking up from the northwest corner of the southwest extension which is right above the cubby where we Rochester falcon watchers think she and DC have a scrape.

Her pretty head was turning rapidly every which way in the few minutes I shared with her. At 8:10am Miss Pigott flew southwest and didn’t come back while I was there.

On my way back downtown I stopped on Exchange Blvd. across from Cornhill to check out the frozen Genesee River. I was surprised to find a boat tied up in the icy body of water. Under the Ford St. bridge there were ice and debris chunks that will no doubt block up the BSB and Main st. bridge when they get there.

Upon returning to downtown I found Beauty under the southeast wing of TSB at 8:40am. A few minutes later after I got situated in the hole behind He’s Chinese again Beauty flew down to the deck by the main cam for a few seconds and then flew to Widows Walk coming to rest on the east side railing.

I parked in the parking lot next to the TSB for a closer view and about 5 minutes later Beauty flew to the nest box. As I turned my head to watch her I saw DC fly in with her.

<Beauty

I couldn’t see the nest box from where I was but Donna let me know that they were bowing. A few minutes later DC flew to the north side railing of Widows Walk and that’s where I ended my watch just before the 9 o’clock hour.

I left the city smiling after seeing all 3 Rochester Peregrine Falcons! 🙂

Click on the links below to see more pics in my album and some videos as well

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AaN3DFm0ZMWqjWW

http://youtu.be/auNsRQ2H5X0
http://youtu.be/ioMk-NHA-28
http://youtu.be/SLIQqST3me4
http://youtu.be/T6RBczQglek

By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.

Sunrise at 6:35 am.  Sunset at 6:06 pm.

After a record low temperature yesterday, today the temps rose into the mid 40’s (F).  What a difference a day makes!

I saw no falcons at Kodak Park and Pigott was not home while I was out at the BS location.

Downtown I found a falcon on the OCSR top Ibeam, north corner.  The sun was lowering in the sky and very bright.  It was really had for me to make any ID’s.

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This falcon took off and flew around the OCSR before heading towards the Time Square Bldg. (TSB).

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* You’ll have to click on the 2nd pic to see it.  🙂

The falcon flew to the TSB and landed on the level just above the nest box.  There was vocalization.  By the time I made my way back over to the Broad St Bridge (BSB), there were two falcons on the TSB.  It was Beauty who had been flying around the OCSR.  She was the one on the lower level above the nest box.  After checking my pictures, I am almost certain that the smaller falcon on the northeast wing ledge was Dot.ca.  Beauty was vocalizing with a wailing sound.  Donna had texted me that she could hear her on the live streaming video.

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Both Beauty and Dot.ca took off.  I found Beauty tucked into the OCSR elevator shaft on the south ledge and Dot.ca was on the top arm of the Frontier Communication Tower.  He took off heading south.  I checked all over downtown, but could not find where he went.

Beauty was still in the OCSR elevator shaft when I ended my watch just before 6:00 pm.

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At 6:36 pm, Kathy O tweeted that there were two falcons at the BS location at the nighttime roost on the north side.  This was Pigott and Dot.ca’s spot.

On my way home, I did check along Lake Ontario, but saw no falcons there.  A couple days ago, there was ice on the lake as far as I could see with my binoculars.  Today, there was some open water and ducks were out there.

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Like I’ve mentioned in earlier reports, it has been a very hard Winter on the ducks, swans and other water birds that winter here.  The Genesee River that flows through downtown has become a refuge for some of them.  It started with female Red-breasted Mergansers and then some males joined them.  Now there are other kinds of ducks there and a Cormorant.  So far, there is a lot of open water on the river for the ducks to feed.  I’ll leave you with a few pictures of the birds on the river.  Goodnight!

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By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Gad zooks it was 30 degrees warmer than yesterday morning at 22 (F) -6 (C) with very little wind, bright sunshine and blue skies. I think we have finally turned the corner toward more spring like conditions!

As I began my watch at6:25am from the Broad St. Bridge (BSB) I spotted Beauty up on the Bausch & Lomb (B&L) buildings north side northeast corner. I drove over to the east side and when I pulled over to observe her she was gone. As I got back to the BSB I saw her up on the north end of the Crossroads building so I drove to State st. for a closer look.

I shared space with the Beautyful one for 15 minutes or so when she gave a look toward the Times Square building (TSB) and flew off in that direction.

Just as I was to tweet it out I got a text from cam watcher and birthday girl today Donna that Beauty and Dot.Ca (DC) were at the nest box bowing. So I shot right up to the hole (Aqueduct St.)  and parked next to the Keybank. DC was under the northeast wing of TSB and soon after Beauty flew out from the nest box around 7am.

Don’t forget to click my pics to see full version

20 minutes later Beauty flew in and landed under the northwest wing while DC was still under the northeast wing-both had their back to me.

<DC   Beauty>

Beauty looked to be in hunt mode and a few minutes later at 7:23am she flew north in a hurry and a second later DC followed after her.

<Beauty in flight

I drove north to the Andrews St. bridge and spotted the bright whiteness of DC on the north corner top ibeam of OCSR-I went to Bragdon St. by the Radisson Hotel to be closer.

After a look around downtown and not finding Beauty I left to check on Pigott-she wasn’t home so I returned to downtown about 8:30am. I spotted a bump on the Kodak Office launchpad northeast corner and drove down State St. pulling over just before Platt St. it was Beauty still looking for a meal.

I didn’t stay long as I had to get going-as I came to the State and Main St. traffic light I spotted DC under the northeast wing of TSB so back to the hole I went parking between the Thomson Reuters and Philipone buildings to check him out.

It was almost 9am and time to leave- with  the nice pair of falcons I spent the last 2-3 hours with and the nice weather I couldn’t help but smile!  🙂

Click on the links below to see our downtown duo

http://youtu.be/poF_pHmVWE8
http://youtu.be/TWvOn_BI3S4
http://youtu.be/xzGtnDU9tY4

By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.

Sunrise at 6:37 am.  Sunset at 6:04 pm.

Today Rochester (NY) broke two records.  This morning the temperature dropped to -9 degrees (F).  It broke the low temperature record for this day AND the record for the lowest temperature in the month of March.  It was -8 when I headed out to work.  Just by chance, the picture on my tablet was the Time Square Bldg!

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At 3:40 pm, I checked out the Kodak Park area.  No falcons seen there.

When I first arrived at the BS location, there were no falcons there.  I waited about a 1/2 hour and decided to head downtown.  As it usually happens, as I was driving away, I looked back and saw a bump on the northwest corner of the west extension.  Pigott had arrived just as I was leaving.  Of course I turned around and spent some time with her.  She was very alert to her surroundings and preening when she wasn’t looking around.

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I left Pigott and headed downtown.  From the Broad St Bridge, I could just make out a falcon on the OCSR top Ibeam at the west corner.  From the Andrew St Bridge, I had a better view.  From there I could see a 2nd falcon on the northwest corner of the Cross Rds Bldg.  At first I thought it was Beauty on the Cross Rds Bldg because this bird looked larger and had its back to me.  The falcon on the OCSR top IBeam looked smaller.  But when it turned around, it looked too dark to be Dot.ca.  Sometimes the afternoon light or lack of on some days, makes it hard for me to ID them.  Especially from a far distance.

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At just before 5:45 pm, both took off.  The tiercel (I am just not sure if it was Dot.ca or not, sorry) followed Beauty and high pitched ee-chups filled the air.  They flew very low heading west, where I lost sight of them.  Donna posted a picture on the forum from the camera at the nest box taken at 7:44 pm.  It showed Beauty inside the nest box and a 2nd falcon outside on the corner.  So that answers my question about where they headed.  They didn’t stay there long,  About a minute or so later, they were both flying on the north side of the OCSR.  Beauty flew up into the elevator shaft and the tiercel looked like he was going to follow, but instead landed on the top IBeam closest to the elevator shaft.

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I was never close enough to see if the tiercel (male) was banded or not.  It was probably Dot.ca, but I just wasn’t sure.  He didn’t stay there long.  A few minutes later, he joined Beauty inside the elevator shaft.

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Since they both seemed to be settled in and the sun was setting, I left just before 6:00 pm.  Goodnight everyone!

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

When I checked the temperature upon arising this morning it was -7 degrees (F) -22 (C)  This is brutal anytime in Rochester but on March 6 it’s downright WRONG!  However, the sun was shining bright. We

I arrived downtown around 6:20am and had quite the time trying to find a falcon. I finally spotted Dot.Ca (DC) on the top ibeam north corner of OCSR at 6:50am.

DC left around 7:10am when I was looking for Beauty. I found both of them on Xerox 10 minutes later. Beauty was on the west side roof and DC was on the northwest corner.

<click on my pics to see full version

A few minutes later Beauty flew off and ended up on Bausch & Lomb (B&L) on the west side near Archers’ corner. DC remained on Xerox.

Beauty flew off at 7:40am and ended up on the west side of HSBC-phew, keeping old MAK busy today! She flew off before I could get a pic and then DC left Xerox around 8am. At 8:10am I spotted Beauty on the southwest corner of Xerox and DC was back on the northwest corner. Bookends on the tallest building in downtown Rochester!

<Click it  <DC    Beauty>

I left them to go check on Pigott at the Brighton Site but she wasn’t home so after 15 minutes I went back downtown. I first found DC on the north corner top ibeam of OCSR when I parked in the Radisson Hotel driveway to check up in the elevator shaft.

I went to the Andrews St. bridge and noticed a bump on the west corner top ibeam of OCSR, I proceeded to drive down State St. and parked across from the Rochester Plaza Hotel where I could see our downtown pair. Just before I called it a watch at 9:15am Beauty walked over from the corner and got situated.

<Beauty> DC>

I couldn’t help but smile after the fun time I had chasing these 2 on my watch this morning!  🙂

Click on the links below to check out todays videos

http://youtu.be/QQ0MVJEcTso
http://youtu.be/6oGZ_ZkSY3c

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Well the temperature was up about 10 degrees from yesterday morning but still cold at 16 (F) -9 (C) by early March standards. Our average high is around 40 for this time of year. Anyway, the day has started with overcast conditions and light snow has been falling since I left for my watch at 6:25am

From the Broad St. Bridge (BSB) I easily found Dot.Ca (DC) on the top ibeam south corner of the OCSR building with that bright white chest of his sticking out like a sore thumb.

He’s keeping a close eye on his territory in case UT wanders back downtown. After a few minutes I left DC to look for Beauty and I found her eating on the south side of Bausch & Lomb (B&L) southeast corner. She finished up with her meal shortly after I arrived parking on Broad St. between Xerox and Midtown. She had a mess on her beak and spent several minutes trying to clean it up by feaking and scratching at it with her talon.

When she was done, off she flew to the west.

I made my way over to the Radisson Hotel by Main St. at 7am to see that DC was still on OCSR top ibeam south corner and Beauty had gone straight to the elevator shaft to take cover and digest her meal on the north ledge.

10 minutes later DC slipped off  and flew southwest disappearing behind Main St. buildings. I left for the Brighton Site (BS) thinking maybe DC went there since that’s the direction he flew.

When I arrived at 7:30am I found Pigott on the west end of the south side vent-she was scrunched down and had her feathers foofed up to keep warm.

Miss Pigott flew off to the south less than 5 minutes after I arrived-I watched her with my binocs until she vanished into the cloudy southern sky.

I waited and watched for the next 15 minutes but she never returned so I went back downtown to make a last check before ending my watch. DC was gone but the Beautyful one was still on the north ledge of the OCSR elevator shaft.

I called it a watch at 8:20am and before leaving our fair city had a look around for DC without success. I saw all 3 resident Rochester Peregrine Falcons giving me reason to smile! 🙂

Check out the links below by clicking on them to see todays videos

http://youtu.be/PnLA0AwvCzw
http://youtu.be/ioRh-sDnTAw
http://youtu.be/fwvYguEC6Mo

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Yet another frigid start to the day here in Rochester with a beautiful sunrise sky on the horizon-at 2 degrees (F) -17 (C) my camera and I struggled to get in focus pics as the sunrise turned into dark overcast skies

Click on my pics to see full version

The sky makes the city look tiny doesn’t it?

So after having another UT in town yesterday I got started earlier today on watch finding 2 falcons on the east side of the city at 6:40am. Beauty was on Bausch & Lomb (B&L)  on the southeast corner of the south side when I first spotted her from Woodbury St. and a falcon was on the northwest corner of Xerox.  As I made my way around to Broad St. I found that they had both switched-she was now on the northeast corner of the east side of B&L  eating and he was on the northeast corner of Xerox.

<Beauty UT?

I believe it was UT but can’t say for sure-I only saw his back. I say this because when Beauty finished eating I heard the male chupping and squeaking and it did not sound like Dot.Ca (DC), then she flew off followed by him a few seconds later. They flew west out of view around 7:05am.

<Beauty

As I approached on the Broad St. bridge (BSB) I saw 2 falcons flying south of the Times Square building (TSB)-one kept going south (if it was indeed a falcon) and the other went back to OCSR flying in front of the nest box area and then Beauty suddenly shot out from near nest box area and chase after the other smaller falcon,I think it was UT, behind TSB where I lost them. I went looking for them and ended up on the Andrews St. bridge when Donna let me know that Beauty was on cam 1. Thanks for the help! I drove directly to the hole and saw Beauty and also a male up above her under the northeast wing with his back to me. The cold would not allow for a good focus on my camera so I had trouble when I did see the side of the face in identifying it as either UT or DC .

Turns out it was DC on TSB so I don’t know if he chased UT out earlier when I thought I saw the 3 falcons and lost sight of them for 15 minutes-that seems most likely. I left for the Brighton site (BS) and when I got there at 8:10am there were no falcons present. Upon my return to downtown Beauty was still on cam 1 and DC still under northeast wing. I pulled over in front of  the Blue Cross Arena for a side view.

<Beauty DC>

Beauty flew off cam 1 as I was watching DC and I wouldn’t have known where she went if Shaky hadn’t tweeted out that she was on the base of Mercury. Thanks Shakymon! I went up to the BSB where I could see her and DC.

<Beauty

Well, I don’t know if UT is out there watching or if he left the area but hopefully DC didn’t hurt him. All was quiet as I ended my watch at 9:10am. Keep smiling everyone! 🙂

Click on the links below to view todays videos

http://youtu.be/fMwKekp0Xak
http://youtu.be/ZkbjsTpZw-c

By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.

Sunrise at 6:41 am.  Sunset at 6:00 pm.  When I ended my watch, after 6:00 pm, the temperature was 10 degrees (F).  Not sure where the windchill was.  All I can say is, boy was it cold out there!

After reading that there was an unbanded tiercel (UT) (male falcon) seen in the nest box around noon, I knew I had to get downtown to check things out.  I joined MAK on Broad St at about 3:50 pm.  She had been keeping an eye on Beauty and an unbanded male.  Beauty’s behavior was quite accepting.  He was all over the place, showing her what an awesome flier he was.  Zipping back and forth and at one point he attempted to copulate with her.

When I first arrived, Beauty was up on the base of the Mercury statue.  UT whizzed by her and landed at the nest box.

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UT took off and continued to show off for Beauty.  Then, it almost happened.  As MAK and I watched, UT approached Beauty and attempted to copulate with her.

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Beauty remained on the base of Mercury and UT landed on a chimney on top of the Wilder building.

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UT hunted the pigeons along the river and Beauty joined him.  They were flying together.  Both ended up on the OCSR.

While I remained on the Broad St Bridge, MAK went over to the BS location, where she found both Pigott and Dot.ca.  DC had a very full crop.  Larry O joined MAK there, and Lisa McK joined me downtown.

Beauty flew up into the OCSR elevator shaft, north ledge and UT landed on the south end of the Cross Rds Bldg.

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UT knew that Beauty was up inside the OCSR elevator shaft, but he could not figure out how to get up there.  He landed on top of the elevator, above her.

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The sun was setting and Lisa drove over to the BS location.  Both Pigott and Dot.ca were still there.

I moved closer to the OCSR and watched UT try over and over again to get up inside the elevator shaft.  While he tried, he was vocalizing with a high pitched wailing sound.  He landed a view times on a structure below Beauty.  I waited for the sun to set, leaving after 6:00 pm.  UT had settled on the south side top Ibeam, close to the elevator shaft.

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Tomorrow will be an interesting day.  Goodnight everyone!

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Freezing and frigid-those are the f words that describe this morning! 5 degrees (F) -15 (C) with a slight breeze making the wind chill below O. Overcast with snow falling-sigh…

2 trips to the east side to start my watch bagged me a falcon named Beauty at 7am. She switched it up on me and  was eating on the south side of Bausch & Lomb on the southeast corner. Her usual spots lately have been the east and north sides. Hey, variety is the spice of life right!?

Once again I apologize for the poor quality photos-my camera has had enough of the cold temperatures and does not like to focus in them. Beauty finished eating cleaned up a bit, waved good bye and took off flying northwest toward OCSR.

<Click on pics to see full version

Off I went to my spot at the Radisson Hotel by Main St. where I can see up in the elevator shaft of OCSR-there she was, Beauty had gone directly to the north ledge instead of  the ibeam first, which is her usual routine. You can’t really see her in my pic but she was there.

I left for the Brighton site (BS) and when I arrived about 7:30am there were no falcons at home. I went for coffee and when I returned 10 minutes later I found Dot.Ca (DC) on the south side vent west end. He was scrunched down in what I call the buddha style and he had his feathers all foofed up to stay warm.

I watched him turning his head every which way and then he seemed to see something that he keyed in on.

I thought perhaps it was Pigott so I pulled out to take a ride around the building and as I got on the east side I spotted Pigott on an east facing top floor window ledge on the southeast extension-she had her back to me.

I just noticed that I failed to  tweet out that I saw Miss Pigott at BS-sorry, I have a lot on my mind. (rolls eyes) So I made one more check downtown before ending my watch. Just as I was pulling over at the Radisson hotel the Beautyful one came flying out from the OCSR elevator shaft. She made a few flights in front of the southeast side of OCSR and returned to the north ledge of the elevator shaft.

I promptly ended my watch at 8:55am after seeing all 3 Rochester Peregrine Falcons safe and sound and in case you’re wondering-I was smiling! 🙂

Click on the links below to see todays videos

http://youtu.be/DL5C-5aRwsk
http://youtu.be/-QG6WUUQvko
http://youtu.be/yKAlCwkUtjs