By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was a partly cloudy morning with a temperature of 63 (F) 17 (C)

Make sure to click on the pics to see the full version

Fledge Watch 2017 officially started today as I arrived downtown at 5:30am.  I saw Dan over on the Court St. Bridge as I crossed the Broad St. Bridge. It was still a little on the dark side when I got down to the hole (Aqueduct St.) and the moon greeted me as I began my first watch since mid March. Dot.ca (DC) was under the northeast wing of the Times Square building (TSB), Beauty was on cam 1, also known as pan cam and I could see Ontario on the wall.

I joined Dan about 20 minutes later after Beauty flew down to the nest box, then back up to cam 1. From there I cold see all three of the eyasses.

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Beauty flew off and returned to the TSB landing on the ledge above the nest box.

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Soon after, the Beautyful one flew off over the Blue Cross Arena chasing a pigeon back towards Dan and I up river and eventually aborted near the South Ave. garage. DC caught up with her at that point and they both went back to the TSB landing in the same spots they had vacated. At this point I watched a Great Blue Heron fly over the BSB coming to rest on the north side of it on a flat rock. I also noticed a pair of ducks on the flats below the CSB.

Dan left so I went back to the hole where Carol joined me a few minutes later at 7am.  Rachel showed herself to me from the deck as Ontario perched on the wall bump. Beauty and DC watched while Ontario did some wing flapping on the bump and ran the wall back and forth a couple times. That kid is quick on his feet! KathyO joined us at 8am.

All was quiet until around 8:30am when Charlotte decided to join her brother on the wall. It always makes me nervous when there’s more than one out there because they could knock each other off so easily and the only way to go is down! Beauty was right above them keeping close watch of their movements on the wall bump while Rachel stuck to the deck area where it was safe and secure. She has the most white fluff left so we believe she must be the youngest. Lisa joined the watch a little after 9am.

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Ontario ran to the north end of the wall and Charlotte joined him for a bit. Beauty and DC flew off back and forth going from TSB to OCSR and the Mercury money bag more than once and that was all the action there was until a Turkey Vulture flew through prompting them to clear it out of the area. I spotted DC on the metal grating between the northeast and northwest wings of Times Square at one point.

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All was quiet with Beauty joining her kids on the deck and DC on watch above his family under the northeast wing when I decided to leave. When I got home to Seneca Towers I checked the perimeter of the building and could see no falcons but there was a kettle of Turkey Vultures circling above the river. I suspect I will be seeing Billie and Seth’s little ones soon. I ended my watch just before noon with a big old smile on my face after seeing our downtown Rochester Peregrine Falcon family! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

https://youtu.be/6l9jvBHXoZw

https://youtu.be/Gpnx5RMFlUU

https://youtu.be/rBBV6webeVo

By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.

When I woke up Wednesday morning, I turned on my tablet and tuned in to the Rochester Falcon live stream.  My first view was of the eyases on the platform.  I counted; 1 – 2 – 3 – where was #4?  As I was asking, pan cam was moving around, looking for the missing eyas.  Had one gone out on the wall?  Was it in the well?  The eyas was nowhere to be found.  I knew I had to get downtown quick.  While I was getting ready, it was determined that one eyas fell off the end of the platform at about 5:15 am.  It was Seabreeze.

When I arrived downtown, I was met by fellow watcher Larry O.  He was on his way to work and couldn’t stay long.  I walked over to a group of three police officers and explained what happened.  They took down my phone # and said they would keep an eye out for the young falcon.  I also told the parking lot attendants.  No one had seen what happened.

Because Beauty was up on the corner of the Wilder Bldg and looking towards the north, I started on that side of the Times Square Bldg, checking every nook and cranny along the way.  Nothing!

I was just on my way over to the south side, walking in front of the Times Square Bldg., when a woman came around the corner and spotted me holding a towel.  She yelled out, Carol!?  I said yes.  She told me her name was Debbie and that she worked in the Times Square Bldg.  She knew where Seabreeze was and she took me to a doorway on the south side of the building.

Seabreeze was standing on the ground, in front of the door.  There was blood on the ground next to him, which later I found out was from broken blood feathers on his tail.  He was bright-eyed and very aware of his surroundings.  I approached him and gently wrapped him in the towel I brought with me.  Debbie and I carried him back to my car and I placed him in a rescue box.  It was time to visit the vet.

Seabreeze was checked out at the vet and it was determined that he had lost five tail feathers and broken some blood feathers.  Other than that, he seemed to be ok.  He was a very lucky young falcon!  Fellow watcher Kathy O joined me at the vet.  The DEC was contacted and updated on the situation.  Seabreeze was safe and in good hands.  Kathy and I returned downtown.

Both Beauty and Dot.ca were very active, caring for their remaining three eyases.  Here are some pictures from our watch.

An update on Seabreeze was just posted today on Imprints.  He will need to go to a rehabber so that his tail feathers can grow back.  But, he’s safe and being well cared for.  I hope to hear someday soon that he has healed and has been released.

I plan on starting my fledge watch tomorrow.  Ontario has made it out to the well wall and is doing a lot of running and flapping.  It probably won’t be long before he fledges!

I want to end my report with special thanks to Debbie and Jimmy (who originally found Seabreeze) at the Times Square Bldg.  Thanks for watching over Seabreeze until I arrived.  You and others that help wildlife in trouble are very special people.  Also, I’d like to thank Tom, a Rochester Police Officer, who cared enough to call me at the end of the day to see how Seabreeze was.  Lastly, Bruce, the vet tech, who so gently examined Seabreeze and cleaned him up.  Thank you all for caring!

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Joyce and I took a trip to Toronto,Ontario, Canada yesterday to witness the banding of Quests’ offspring with a new male. He has been nicknamed Mystery because he has no bands. We got to hang out with good friend, Ann Brokelman (photographer extraordinaire/wildlife rescuer/lover). There were 3 boys and 1 girl banded:

Female named Aurora band Z 05 red tape

Male named Nemo band Y 39 blue tape

Male named Ndawendang (Hunter) named by Toronto First Nation School band Y 40 yellow tape

Male named Archimedes band Y 41 Green tape

Afterwards, Ann took us to check out the nest site of a Red-tailed Hawk family. There were 3 offspring that were just about ready to fledge. After that we parted ways as Ann had to go help with a deer situation, so Joyce and I went to Rosetta Gardens Park where we enjoyed some peaceful time with the flowers and wildlife. And we got to see the bench that was dedicated to the late, great “Big” Frank Butson, another of our good Canadian friends.

Last, but not least we met up with yet another good friend, Patty Gale. She treated us to dinner and then the 3 of us visited the Yellow Pages nest site where Rochester born Linn and her mate, George greeted us with some flying when we arrived. We were able to figure out where their nest is but could see no eyasses. They don’t use a man made scrape at this location-she lays her eggs in different spots of the building ledges and roof each year.

We had a fabulous day with falcons and friends and I’d like to thank Ann, Patty and especially Joyce! Until next time keep smiling everyone! 🙂

Below is the link to check out pics from the day

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