Morning watch 5-26-11
By Rochester falcon watcher MAK
Archer was on the eggs when I checked before heading out this morning so I knew I’d be looking for Beauty when I got downtown. After checking all the favorite places near Times Square I went over to Kodak Office and I found her atop the cupola northeast corner.
Beauty flew off very soon after I arrived heading in the direction of downtown. Nearly 40 minutes later I located her under the southeast wing on the Times Square building and she was eating breakfast.
With not quite a full crop the Beautyful one flew off Times Square with prey in her talons and the hunt to find her was on once more!
Some 45 minutes later while approaching the Broad St. bridge from the east side of the city I spotted Archer on the base of Mercury.
I guess Beauty had pulled a fast one on me and doubled back after I left to find her. They made a switch on the eggs and now it was Archers’ turn to catch breakfast. He flew off Mercury back behind the Reuters Thomson building where I lost sight of him. As I drove down to Aqueduct St. I saw him fly to the nestbox and back out vocalizing the whole time. When I got down on Aqueduct St. I found him on top of the fire escape ladder of the Wilder building with his breakfast in his talons. He was vocalizing loudly!
I think he was telling Beauty he had a small package for her not knowing that she had already eaten. Guess he didn’t notice her full crop! Next, Archer flew back over to the nestbox and Beauty came out and flew to the base of Mercury. Dark pics cuz the sun was behind her (yes there was sun for a little while ).
Beauty wasn’t there for long when she flew over to the nestbox with Archers’ gift and then took off for parts unknown.
It was good to see both Archer and Beauty this morning but I couldn’t help feeling bad for Unity over at Kodak Park all by her lonesome. Archer has been devoting pretty much all his time to Beauty and their eggs lately. I hope one of these days another tiercel comes swooping in to steal her heart away from Archer so she can live a normal Peregrine Falcon life! That’s all folks! 🙂
May 26th, 2011 at 11:41 AM
Thank goodness for your reports, MAK. Is the vocalizing they’ve been doing today unusual or more usual behavior for them?
Also, how often does B find her way to Kodak office tower? It doesn’t seem like one of her regular hangouts. Do you think she is protecting her territory?
May 26th, 2011 at 2:46 PM
My personal and unprofessional opinion is she is paranoid since that battle last week. She has been hanging out on that side of the city ever since. Pre battle time Beauty was hanging out mostly around Wilder,OCSR and Mercury. She is ABSOLUTELY protecting her territory from Unity and all comers. She’s a Beauty but she’s also a force to be reckoned with! 🙂
May 26th, 2011 at 4:24 PM
Absolutely! That’s kind of what I thought. Poor thing. Even the pics of her in the NB, she is restless. Rough breeding season.
May 26th, 2011 at 9:03 PM
Terrific report and photos, MAK!
May 26th, 2011 at 9:42 PM
Thanks Sage and Margaret. I just heard another one of Beauty and Archers eggs has a crack around the circumference. This is really tough to take. I can’t even go to the cams and look at the eggs. Sad times. Hard life for wildlife and people. Heavy sigh…tomorrow’s another day! 🙂
May 28th, 2011 at 7:33 AM
Heavy sigh indeed….
June 1st, 2011 at 1:55 AM
Love the flying shot of Beauty with prey.