By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was partly cloudy and a bit dark until the sun rose above the clouds. The temperature was a chilly 49 (F) 9 (C) at the start.

Click on pics to see the full version

I began my watch Before the sun came up so the pics of Billie are a bit grainy as I found her on the south window ledge of Seneca Towers from my parking lot.

After checking the rest of the building unsuccessfully for Seth I left for downtown. From Chestnut St. in front of the Martin Luther King Jr. Park I found Beauty on the south side of Xerox 6 columns over from the southeast corner. She appeared to be napping at first and when she woke up she did some scratching.

A few minutes later the Beautyful one pooped and flew off heading southwest only to double back and fly northeast behind the 5 Star Bank.

I had a feeling she went to the RGE antenna and after getting thru the morning rush hour traffic I found her there from Elm St. The back light was bad so I moved to Lawn St. next to the Columbus building.

Beauty flew off while I was watching a guy parallel park in front of me so I flew off too! As I was making my way across the Broad St. bridge I spotted Dot.ca (DC) on the top I-beam south side of OCSR but he didn’t stick around until I could get parked somewhere so I continued on to City Hall to check the Frontier Communications tower. Nothing on the tower but as I checked the Powers building from the back of the parking lot I caught a glimpse of DC going into the nest box. I then headed over to the Andrews St. bridge (ASB) where I could see him better.

DC left the nest box after a few minutes and flew up to a camera in front of the box. On my tiny LCD camera screen it looked like he had food in his crop and I tweeted as such, but actually it was quite empty.

I left him just before 9am to go check the Brighton location before I walked Bella. Once there I found our young, visiting, female Peregrine Falcon on the east face of the south extension 3 windows down in the corner where it meets the east extension. She was a bit sleepy at first sight but woke up after a minute or so. She had her back to me but was showing me the side of her face.

I didn’t visit with her for too long-just a few minutes. After walking Bella I returned to downtown and found DC on the same Powers camera as I left him with his back to me this time. Beauty was over on the top I-beam of OCSR near the north corner with a feather (fascinator) stuck to her beak so I assume she had eaten recently.

I left them to it as they could see each other and when I got home to Seneca Towers I found Seth on the north window ledge. He was mainly looking back over his shoulder towards the river-most likely on the hunt.

I ended my watch a little before 11am with a smile after seeing all 4 resident Rochester Peregrine Falcons and a bonus PEFA at the Brighton site! 🙂

Click on the link below to see today’s snippet video

https://youtu.be/7PrxXLNDGQY

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was a sunny morning with blue skies and a starting temperature of 59 (F) 15 (C)

Click on the pics to see the full version

I began my watch at 6:45am in the Northridge Church parking lot at the intersection of St. Paul Street and East Ridge Road.  I could see Seth on the top window ledge at the north end of Seneca Towers. He was very alert and seemingly in hunt mode. A woman was walking her dog and stopped to ask what I was looking at and while I spoke to her, Seth left. I waited a couple minutes for his return to no avail so I headed for downtown.

While stopped at the traffic light on State St. near the inner loop I spotted Dot.ca (DC) flying to the Frontier Communications Tower (FCT) so I turned right and parked in the City Hall lot. DC was on a cross beam on the north side and then I noticed movement on the east side of FCT where Beauty was perched with her back to me.

The Beautyful one was whining on and off and while she was preening DC flew off and returned to land on the northeast cube. They both look to be in good condition as they near the end of their molt. I observed Beauty as she pulled out one small, white down feather.

DC let out a whine of his own before stooping off to the northwest only to return and land on the large drum with nothing to show for his efforts.

He wasn’t there for long when he flew back to the tower landing under the southeast cube. During that time Beauty moved in to a another beam next to where she had been.

I left them preening on the FCT and headed over to the Court St. bridge to check on the scene there. Last time I was on watch I said I would video tape the area behind the Dinosaur Grill where the walkway is being built and surrounding area so make sure to check it out at the end of my report. The Genesee River is very low exposing all the flats where gulls and ducks are enjoying the calm waters. Looking north I spotted a couple cormorants and a Great Blue Heron through the opening below the Broad St. bridge.

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Now for the highlight of my watch. I walk watcher, Jeanne’s dog, Bella 3 times a week and since she lives right around the corner, I check the Brighton Site (BS) each time for falcons but I don’t usually have my camera or binoculars. Well today I did have my equipment and when watcher, Larry tweeted that he saw a falcon at BS I went over there post haste. I’ve seen a falcon there the last couple times I checked so I was anxious to get a good look this morning. I’ve determined that this is an adult female based on size and she has no leg bands. She was on the top window of the east extension in the corner where it meets the south extension.

She had her back to me at first and then she acted like she wanted to hop across to the east face window across from her. She spread her wings then turned around and walked along the window ledge. She has a salmon colored upper chest and white above her cere-she appears to be in good condition.

A blue jay and a couple starlings grabbed her attention for minute before she flew across to the opposite window-she went to the shaded side of it and once again showed me her back.

I left at that point to walk Bella and afterwards I checked Hawkeye, Seneca Towers and the Medley Center mall in Irondequoit with no luck finding any falcons. I ended my watch at 9:45am smiling after a successful watch in which I saw 4 Peregrine Falcons! 🙂

Click on the links below to view today’s videos

https://youtu.be/W07kXflNpyQ

https://youtu.be/1nOC4pHCbwU

By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.

It’s been very quiet, falconwise, here in Rochester, NY.  There have been a few reports/tweets from regular watchers, Pat and Larry O.  Plus, both Beauty and Dot.ca are seen frequently on the Rfalconcam cameras, usually at the Powers Bldg nest box.

I’ve been watching the coverage of Hurricane Irma on TV.  It looks really bad.  I truly hope that all that are in the path of this deadly hurricane remain safe.  This includes my Aunt and Uncle and a friend’s father, who decided to stay put.

I decided to get our for a couple hours this morning to look for our Rochester falcons.  Larry had reported that he saw both Beauty and Dot.ca this morning on the Frontier Communication Tower (FCT).  So, that’s where I started.  I quickly found Beauty on the 2nd arm, facing west.

<— Beauty on FCT.

From the City Hall parking lot, I was able to see both Beauty and Dot.ca (DC).  DC was under the platform on FCT.

<— Beauty and Dot.ca on FCT.

All was quiet, so it was time to check out the downtown area.  Here are some pictures of the view I had from the Court St. Bridge (CSB).

<— View from the Court St Bridge.

The new walkway behind the Dinosaur BBQ, over the Genesee River is coming along nicely.

<— Genesee River Walkway behind Dinosaur BBQ.

Back at the Frontier Communication Tower.  Dot.ca was gone, but Beauty remained on the 2nd arm.  She had turned around and was now looking southeast.

<— Beauty on FCT.

All was quiet, so I texted that I was ending my downtown watch.  As sometimes happens, as I was leaving the area, I heard alarm kakking above.  By the time I got turned around, Beauty was gone.  I found her tucked in under the platform.  Not sure what upset her.  Maybe a hawk migrating through the area?

<— Beauty under the FCT platform, south side.

From the Andrew St Bridge (ASB), I found Dot.ca on the north side of OCSR, top Ibeam.  I could also see Beauty on FCT.

<— DC on OCSR/Beauty on FCT from ASB.

It wasn’t long before Beauty took off.  She flew low, heading south.  I tried to locate her, but couldn’t.  It was really time to end my Sunday morning watch.

On my way home, I passed Kodak Office.  The building south of the Kodak Tower is now home to the downtown Monroe Community College Campus.  Things are really changing.

A quick check at Seneca Towers from Maplewood Park.  No falcons seen or heard.