Saturday Falcon Watch – 3/1/14 – March Has Arrived!
By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.
Sunrise at 6:46 am and Sunset at 5:58 pm.
We had a little reprieve from the frigid temperatures today. The temps made it into the 30’s (F) and the sun was out for much of my watch which started at about 11 a.m. My first stop was Russell Station. No Falcons there, but I did see a juvenile Bald Eagle fly by just off shore over Lake Ontario, heading west. I checked Charlotte, and Hawkeye. No sign of Billy at either of those locations. (11:26 am)
Downtown, I found Dot.ca on the OCSR, north side top IBeam near the north corner.
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From the Andrew St Bridge, I saw a large group of Red-Breasted Mergansers (RBM) swimming on the river between me and the Main St Bridge. Always good to see them doing well.
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I went to search for Beauty and found her on the Times Square Bldg on the northeast wing ledge. (12:24 pm)
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There was no place to park on the Broad St Bridge because of the car show that was in town, so I ended up watching Beauty from Aqueduct St (aka the hole). I stayed there for over an hour. Since there was not activity, I headed over to the BS location where I found Pigott on the east end of the building on the corner above the tree ledge. (1:57 pm)
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Soon after I arrived, Pigott took off and flew around the south side of the building heading west. I caught up with her, finding her on the northwest corner of the northeast extension.
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At 2:50 pm, I saw a Red-Tailed Hawk fly over the building and so did Pigott. She took off and chased the RTH out of her territory.
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After chasing the hawk away, Pigott returned to the southwest corner of the west extension.
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Crows were cawing loudly to the west of the building and Pigott does not like the Crows anywhere near her building. So off she went to chase the Crows out of her territory. She returned, landing on the southeast corner of the southwest extension.
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Pigott walked back on the roof and I lost sight over her. I assume she may have been looking for cached food, even though she already had a full crop.
I left Pigott at a little after 3:00 pm and drove through downtown one more time before heading home. At 3:25 pm, I spotted Beauty in the same spot I had left her, on the Times Square Bldg, NE wing ledge. Dot.ca was no longer on the north side of the OCSR. It was time to end my watch. I just missed seeing fellow watcher Larry O, who arrived after I left.
Looks like the frigid temperatures will be returning to Rochester tomorrow, high 19 degrees (F) with a couple inches of snow expected. Keep warm everyone! Goodnight!
