Morning watch 4-22-11
By Rochester falcon watcher MAK
Let me begin my report by saying Happy Earth Day to everyone around the world who follows our Rochester Peregrine falcons! Before I left home I checked to see that Beauty was on the eggs. I arrived about 5:55am on the Broad St. bridge. After a quick drive over to the east side to look for Archer I returned and waited with the Beautyful one for him to show up. Finally around 6:35am Archer flew in from behind me and landed on the heel of Mercury.
He flew off when I wasn’t looking and I saw him with prey on the base of Mercury but he didn’t eat any, instead he flew to the nestbox and relieved Beauty from her egg warming duties. Beauty flew out over the river and then back behind the Old Changing Scenes Restaurant. I thought she was going to the Frontier Communications Tower so I took off down to Exchange St. and as I turned the corner I spotted her flying straight down ExchangeSt. I followed her through the intersection at Main St. where Exchange changes to State St.(thankfully the traffic lights were working with me)It was the coolest thing to have her in my sights in between the buildings while driving after her. I lost her behind buildings when she veered left near Church St. Sure enough when I got to the City Hall parking lot and looked in my binocs there she was big as life on the north side of the Frontier Communications tower under the platform.
Half hour later Beauty flew from the tower headed toward the river so I took off to find out where she went. I got to the Broad St. bridge just in time to see her land on the base of Mercury and eat a little of the cached food Archer had left there earlier.
After a minute or so Beauty was off again headed toward FCT with her small morsel of food in talons. Once again I took off to follow her to the Frontier Communications Tower. I found her in the same spot as before only this time she was finishing up her breakfast. She then flew up to the platform railing on the north side of FCT and preened herself for an hour or so.
I just love how she almost always has her back to me. I swear I’d know that back anywhere! Beauty took off very fast in the direction of the Times Square building and so I did too! I arrived on the bridge to see 2 falcons flying above Midtown headed toward me. I didn’t know at the time it was Archer with Beauty. I thought perhaps it was an intruder. They flew over the river and the Thomson Reuters building where I followed Beauty to the nestbox and lost track of Archer. I called Donna to see when Archer left the nestbox so I could figure out if it was him or another falcon flying with the Beautyful one. My thoughts on what happened was that there may very well have been a hawk or something in the area and Beauty took off after it with Archer joining her to escort it out of their territory. In any case all was quiet when I ended my watch with Beauty on the eggs and Archer headed to parts unknown. Have a great day everyone! 🙂
April 22nd, 2011 at 4:42 PM
Nice report, MAK. I’m playing catch up so this report was great
April 23rd, 2011 at 5:45 AM
I work near the old Irondequoit mall, and I could swear that I have heard peregrines there from time to time. Maybe they are other birds, I look but don’t see anything. But they sound like the ones downtown do.
April 23rd, 2011 at 2:14 PM
This is Great!! I used to live in Rochester, from birth ’til about 2007. I’m in California now, watching from the west coast. I love watching the falcons on the cams and got a glimpse of the eggs today. It’s also great, as I know the buildings and streets where you are. Thanks so much for all your great work – keeping track of the falcons.