Monday Falcon Watch – 3/3/14 – An Unbanded Tiercel (UT) Hangs Out With Beauty
By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.
Sunrise at 6:41 am. Sunset at 6:00 pm. When I ended my watch, after 6:00 pm, the temperature was 10 degrees (F). Not sure where the windchill was. All I can say is, boy was it cold out there!
After reading that there was an unbanded tiercel (UT) (male falcon) seen in the nest box around noon, I knew I had to get downtown to check things out. I joined MAK on Broad St at about 3:50 pm. She had been keeping an eye on Beauty and an unbanded male. Beauty’s behavior was quite accepting. He was all over the place, showing her what an awesome flier he was. Zipping back and forth and at one point he attempted to copulate with her.
When I first arrived, Beauty was up on the base of the Mercury statue. UT whizzed by her and landed at the nest box.
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UT took off and continued to show off for Beauty. Then, it almost happened. As MAK and I watched, UT approached Beauty and attempted to copulate with her.
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Beauty remained on the base of Mercury and UT landed on a chimney on top of the Wilder building.
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UT hunted the pigeons along the river and Beauty joined him. They were flying together. Both ended up on the OCSR.
While I remained on the Broad St Bridge, MAK went over to the BS location, where she found both Pigott and Dot.ca. DC had a very full crop. Larry O joined MAK there, and Lisa McK joined me downtown.
Beauty flew up into the OCSR elevator shaft, north ledge and UT landed on the south end of the Cross Rds Bldg.
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UT knew that Beauty was up inside the OCSR elevator shaft, but he could not figure out how to get up there. He landed on top of the elevator, above her.
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The sun was setting and Lisa drove over to the BS location. Both Pigott and Dot.ca were still there.
I moved closer to the OCSR and watched UT try over and over again to get up inside the elevator shaft. While he tried, he was vocalizing with a high pitched wailing sound. He landed a view times on a structure below Beauty. I waited for the sun to set, leaving after 6:00 pm. UT had settled on the south side top Ibeam, close to the elevator shaft.
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Tomorrow will be an interesting day. Goodnight everyone!
March 3rd, 2014 at 10:11 PM
Wow! Amazing shots of the near miss, Carol!
March 3rd, 2014 at 10:14 PM
Thanks Pat! I just got the one picture and zoomed in on it for the 2nd. My camera was not liking the frigid cold temps!
March 3rd, 2014 at 10:18 PM
And it begins. Thank you all for your watching and reporting. It was cold today! Colder tonight.
I hope all our falcons stay safe. This may be the same UTwho stops in to flirt with B every year?
Although if he doesnt know how to approach OCSR elevator shaft, maybe he hasn’t been here before? Beauty is one smart PeFa. What IS roosting spot for P and DC at BS? Is it covered or out in open! Are they protected? And is DC spending roosting nights with P?
Scorecard needed again.
March 4th, 2014 at 10:30 AM
Wow, lots of questions and lots of excitement!
March 4th, 2014 at 11:46 AM
Thanks for the comments Margaret and Nora. Lots of questions for sure. Looks like Dot.ca returned this a.m. and has chased UT out of the area, at least for the moment.
Since he is not banded, there is no way of knowing if this is the same male that was with Beauty last year before Dot.ca returned. Although she seems very accepting of him.
P&DC have been roosting at night on the north side, east end of the building. It is not a covered area, but well protected from the wind. The watchers have seen DC there at sunset, so he probably is roosting with P at night.
March 5th, 2014 at 8:32 AM
Brrr……..it’s still very cold out there.
What an excitement.Thanks for watching over them.
March 5th, 2014 at 10:12 AM
Thank you Carla! Always nice to hear from you. 🙂