Monday Evening Fledge Watch (6:30 to 9:00 pm) 8/5/13
By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.
I arrived downtown just before 6:30 pm. First stop, the Kodak Tower, where I found a falcon on the SE corner of the launchpad. This falcon had it’s back to me, but I’m pretty sure it was an adult and most likely Beauty, but who knows for sure. lol Low light and shooting into bright sunshine is a deadly combination for my camera, but I figure some kind of picture is better than no picture at all. Or at least I hope so. hahaha
When I parked in front of the Frontier stadium, I could see two falcons on the Frontier Communication Tower (FCT), two juvies (I thought one was an adult before I checked my pictures). Based on size, I believe it was Baron on the top arm and one of his sisters on the 2nd arm.
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Baron stooped off of the top arm of FCT, to the east, low over the river. After stooping, I saw him circle higher and higher, gaining altitude. The female on the 2nd arm of FCT, took off and landed on the platform on the west side.
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From the parking lot next to the Hochstein School of Music, I was able to see a 2nd falcon, again facing away and the brilliant sunlight. It felt really good. Since there was no moved by the three in view, I decided it was time to go check on Pigott at the BS location. She hadn’t been seen in awhile.
At the BS location, I found Pigott on the west end of the south side vent. She was de-feathering prey up there, only showing her face in shadow now as then. I stayed with her for awhile, until she started to vocalize, a loud screeeeeeee! and some ee-chupping! I looked all over for Dot.ca. She exhibited this type behavior when he would come in. There he was! Dot.ca arrived carrying a small prey bird, sparrow/starling size. He landed on the east end of the vent, opposite Pigott and they both had a little chat as DC plucked feathers furiously. He was standing in a cloud of fluff feathers. Finally the feathers stopped falling and he was looking around. Tonight the temperature was in the high 60’s (F) during my evening fledge watch.
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As soon as DC was done prepping his prey, he took off, heading north west, towards downtown. Pigott became quiet and she just looked around, ever-vigilant. I said goodbye to her and headed downtown, where I met Lisa McK on the Broad St bridge. We saw no falcons from there and it was getting late, approximately 8:30 pm. It was time to head home.
On my way out of downtown, I checked the Frontier Comm Tower, nothing. Last stop, the Kodak Tower, where I found a juvie up on top of the cupola on top of the tower on the SE side. I heard a juvie cry out and the cupola juvie took off flying south. About 1/2 way across the Kodak parking lot, a 2nd juvie flew in from the south and they met with a talon tag greeting. It was getting dark by this time, but I could see them both fly back to the Kodak Tower. Both attempted to land on the same SE corner of the 17th floor. One stayed and one took off. The one that took off ended up landing and the SE edge of the cupola. The falcon that remained on the 17th floor corner took off and headed up to the cupola where it flew around, before settling on the cupola on the west side I think. Too dark to tell for sure. The one on the SE corner of the cupola, stood out from where I was watching from, near the Kodak parking lot.
The Kodak lights were on, two juvies had made it there for the evening and it was time for me to head home also at approximately 9:00 pm. Goodnight!
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p.s. I will be working on a weekend fledge watch report from this past weekend. It was a dream fledge watch for sure for this Watcher and the others that witnessed it. Young falcons in the gorge! WooHoo! About time!
