Falcon Watch – 6/14-16/09 Peace Reigns Over Rochester
Peace still reigns over the city of Rochester. There seems to be a line in the sand between Mariah and Archer & Beauty.
Archer and Beauty remain downtown, with their main focus on the nest box located at the Times Square Bldg. They hunt over the river and points south.
Mariah claims the Kodak Tower and the gorge where her young learned to fly. We usually find her on the top of the Kodak Tower, or on the east side gorge wall, near the High Falls cooling mist, sitting in the shade. She will fly off to the north to hunt.
So, what will happen in the future? No one knows, but we’ll keep reporting what we see.
Carol P.
June 16th, 2009 at 9:11 PM
That is such good news! Thanks for keeping all of us posted on the Falcon peace time that hopefully will continue forever.
June 17th, 2009 at 7:49 AM
This has been a very emotional year for all of us, yet we the falcons have taught us a lot. If we are lucky, next year Rochester may have two pairs of falcons! What fun!!!
June 17th, 2009 at 8:49 AM
Ditto! Thank you all for your continued reports, and efforts. Peace is good!
June 17th, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Will the Times Square cameras be turned on? I’ve been keeping my windows open (I’m on the 10th floor of the Times Square Building, east facing) and they’re coming and going all day every day. When one returns there’s all sort of squawking and chatter between them. What’s going on up there?
June 17th, 2009 at 2:36 PM
Thanks so much for keeping us up to date. I will keep my fingers crossed that everything stays as is. I check everyday to see what is up with our Mariah. Thank you again.
June 17th, 2009 at 8:03 PM
It’s really fascinating how they’re managing to work things out. Thanks so much for the continued reports. Carol, you must be sleep deprived by now!
Mark, Watchers have commented about Beauty’s penchant for being loquacious and loud. I suspect she and Archer are discussing dividing up the housekeeping responsibilities. It’s all part of the bonding process.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:02 AM
Mark, the rfalconcam team is working on the camera problems. It looks like a router needs to be replaced. A new one will be installed in the next few days.
June 18th, 2009 at 7:58 PM
I believe it is hard for Mariah to change to another nest box area. After all, her mate, Kaver is not here, Kodak was the place she knew and raised several young ones there.Must be confusing, especiallt after being injured and coupled with the replacemant of the boxes.
June 19th, 2009 at 8:22 AM
IS there a nest box within what appears to be Mariah’s territory demarcation?
June 19th, 2009 at 8:57 AM
@bluhawkk – Yes, there are actually 2 nest boxes on the north side of the city. We’ve been keeping an eye on them. But, Mariah seems most interested in the K-Tower and the gorge wall right now. 🙂
June 19th, 2009 at 12:13 PM
Great news and really fascinating to see this unfold. Mariah’s return isn’t surprising but should she pair up in the future (next season) aren’t the territorial battles likely to start anew?
If the Times Square cameras aren’t operating yet what images are showing on the camera link on the website? From the nearby buildings and shot of the new bridge it certainly seems like they’re from that location.
Lastly, can anyone disclose where the nest boxes are on the north side of Rochester? Are boxes scattered around Rochester? I read about activity on the Terry Bldg. at the former Psych. Center earlier this year, is there a box there too? It would be a great site and well removed from existing territories except that bldg. is slated for demolition. What is the likelihood we could have multiple pairs of nesting falcons around Rochester? Are territorial limits gernerous enough to accommodate it? Imagine, from Flour City, to Flower City to Falcon City 🙂
June 19th, 2009 at 3:32 PM
Do those two nest boxes have a view of the gorge? That may be the attraction for Mariah and if they do not, nesting there might mean relinquishing control over the gorge, which is optimum juvenile training territory.
June 19th, 2009 at 3:44 PM
@Carol, how far from K-Tower and can a nest box easily and safely be place within the gorge wall or is greater height required?
Is it now past nesting season? In post-season where do peregrines typically roost? In trees, ledges? Is K-Tower Mariah’s post-season year-round roost?
Thanks for your patience in answering questions.
June 19th, 2009 at 4:04 PM
@Alison – There has been a nest box up on the old Hawkeye building for a very long time. I think it’s a great place for Falcons. Right on the edge of the Genesee River Gorge and she can see the K-Tower and downtown from there. The other one is on a fairly short building, but closer to the KTower and not as close to the gorge.
@bluhawkk – I don’t think putting a nest box somewhere on the gorge wall would work. The wall continuously shifts and rocks fall to the river below. Although this would definitely be a more traditional Peregrine nest site, minus the nest box. 🙂
It definitely seems to be past nesting season. During the Winter, Mariah would roost just about anywhere, the KTower, the gorge, the old Changing Scene’s Restaurant, Midtown Plaza, Xerox, HSBC. All her favorite spots.
It will be interesting to see if Archer and Beauty migrate this Fall. If they do, Mariah may have her city back for the Winter. We’ll have to wait and see.
June 19th, 2009 at 9:21 PM
Hmm, too bad Mariah was not released on the Hawkeye Building. 😉 Or is it also one due to be torn down 🙁
June 19th, 2009 at 9:46 PM
I don’t believe that Hawkeye is owned by Kodak any longer, so it should be safe from the wrecking ball. 🙂
June 20th, 2009 at 11:31 PM
Hawkeye is owned by Kodak and leased to ITT.
June 21st, 2009 at 4:14 PM
Well as long as ITT wants to keep using it, then it will stay up: Kodak undoubtedly needs the money.
June 23rd, 2009 at 3:28 PM
How wonderful, beautiful to see Beauty in the nestbox on the Times Square Building! The close ups are breathtaking. Is the camera closer than the one that was on K-tower? Is it a different angle or a different camera?
I have a question that maybe Jess or Carol can answer:
At 1:45 today (6/23) was that Archer in the nextbox? I noted white above the cere. Also, I noted that he appeared to be molting. I noticed what appeared to be many new feathers coming in. If that is the case, does that indicate for sure that mating season is over?
Now (3:20 pm) or so, is that Beauty in the nestbox? I note a pinkish tinge on her breast.
Have both been seen together in the nest box? Thanks for all you do.
June 24th, 2009 at 9:56 AM
No changes on the situation. All remains peaceful. Mariah on the K-Tower, gorge wall and points north. Archer and Beauty remain close to the Times Square nest site.
June 24th, 2009 at 7:00 PM
Peaceful is very good! Thank you for letting us know 🙂
June 26th, 2009 at 10:54 PM
Since it doesn’t seem like Kodak wants her back, is there anywhere on Mariah’s side of town that a nest box could be put up? If so, my thinking is for next year, it needs to go up soon so she can find it. So hopefully there won’t be a fight over the times square one.
June 27th, 2009 at 8:46 AM
@Barb – There are actually two other nest boxes north of the Kodak Tower. We’ve been keeping an eye on them. 🙂
June 27th, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Thanks Carol that is good to know.
(Sorry I have never seen them mentioned just the TS and Powers Bldng ones)
June 27th, 2009 at 1:39 PM
@Margaret-I think we somehow missed your post…sorry!
The main cam is same main cam. I think the angle is a bit different due to the differences in the building-I think the Kodak box was higher in relation to the camera so the view was a bit more straight on. No matter…it’s great to see peregrines again!
Yes, it was Archer at 1:45 on the 23rd and Beauty at 3:20. They have both been in the box together, but you’ve probably seen yesterday’s Imprints by now.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:57 PM
Can’t you just put her home back where it belongs on the Kodak tower. That is what she seems to be waiting for.