Morning watch 10-22-14
By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK
A chilly 47 (F) 9 (C) degrees with overcast dark conditions
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Right off the bat, I had a falcon on the west side railing of Seneca Towers showing its back as I parked in my spot on Seth Green Drive. It flew north after a few minutes and didn’t return. It was banded and I believe it was Billie.
Downtown now at 8am- as I waited at the traffic light at Exchange & Broad St. I spotted Dot.Ca (DC) on the head of the Mercury statue! I pulled over on the south side of the Broad St. bridge (BSB) to watch Mr. Entertainment as he thrust himself up to the money bag after a couple minutes!
I decided to make a u-turn to the north side of the BSB to see the front of him better and before I could complete it DC flew off. I watched him as he was meeting Beauty over the river with prey in her talons. She flew to the Rundell Library, landed on a ledge below the roof line and got right to work on her meal. DC disappeared and I wasn’t able to locate him any where in the vicinity. I returned to the south side of the bridge.
The Beautyful one was facing the other way so I drove over to the Court St. bridge for a better view.A crow flew in around 8:30am squawking at Beauty and landed above her on the roof. It then flew down and landed on the ledge she was on- (I have the crow on video-no pics) The crow walked toward Beauty then thought better of it and flew off-it was squawking the whole time, Beauty didn’t seem too concerned as she went right on eating. She was right below a B on the library-she knows her place! lol
Next, I heard a squabble behind me on the bridge-some gulls and crows were fighting over a piece of paper in the road. Beauty had herself a good,warm meal and when she was done she walked away from her leftovers and started cleaning up and feaking.
Beauty pooped and went back to feaking and cleaning up and roused-then DC came whizzing in, landing next to the leftovers, grabbed them and started eating.
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DC picked those leftovers clean til nothing was left but feathers and bones. He feaked a bit then he rested a couple minutes and flew off while I was tweeting.
Beauty had turned her back to me and seemed settled so I left her on the library in a food coma. When I stopped in my spot on Seth Green Drive at Seneca Towers I saw 1 falcon on the west side railing near the northwest corner. As I scanned the roof line I was shocked to find 2 more falcons on the top window ledge (22nd floor) at the south end of the building. I wanted to see Billie and 99 again as I hadn’t seen them for a few days but 3 was too much!
I quickly went to the back of my parking lot to get closer to the window birds-I was able to get shots of partial leg bands. Yellow tape on the the corner bird made that one 99 and a black over green band on the other one (plus I recognized her) made that one Billie. So, who was the west side bird and were they all aware of each other because they couldn’t see each other from their locations.
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Once they were identified I went back out to Seth Green Dr. to try and ID the the west side railing falcon. Billie and 99 flew off the window when I was watching and after a while the railing bird stood up to show that it had no leg bands. I wondered if this could be Veteran (he had no bands) returning-we may never know since he, and I say he because the falcon looked small to me can’t be positively identified with out bands. It flew north out of sight a few minutes later and didn’t return.
I had quite a watch for myself this morning as I spent 4 hours observing 5 Peregrine Falcons, ending it at about 11:30am smiling but hoping no bad battles are occurring with all the falcons in the area! 🙂
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October 22nd, 2014 at 9:19 PM
Wow, a five falcon watch by MAK, a falcon seen at the Medley Center by Joyce, an adult falcon seen at Russell Station by Dana, plus Carol saw both Beauty and Dot.ca tonight, and I saw one of the Seneca Towers falcons while coming home on the bus! A banner day for falcon watching in Rochester, I’d say! Thanks for the very thorough report and pictures, MAK, as usual.
October 22nd, 2014 at 9:20 PM
You had quite the watch today, MAK. Five PEFAs and a very bold crow that was no match for Beauty’s “stink eye!”
October 22nd, 2014 at 9:25 PM
And I forgot Brian, who possibly saw a falcon on B&L at noontime. That makes five watchers who saw at least five and possibly seven falcons today, plus the cam watchers who saw B&DC on the library wall. That has to be a record.
October 22nd, 2014 at 9:27 PM
Oops! I mean six watchers, and all of the falcons were adults. Amazing!
October 22nd, 2014 at 10:00 PM
Yes Barb and Pat-it would seem Rochester is becoming the hot spot for PEFA’s. It’s always great seeing many falcons but I hope there is not a price we pay for it-as in battling birds. I’m so happy that DC is on Beauty’s side now, so hopefully they can defend together and keep their territory from all the passing Peregrines! 🙂
October 23rd, 2014 at 10:28 AM
WOW, INDEED! If it weren’t a little scary for our resident PEFA’s, I’d just be excited. As it is I don’t want to see an all out altercation between any of our “friends”. Is that a possibility?
That DC is all male, what? Come to the meal late and finish up, indeed! This is by far the most fun on a screen I’ve seen in a long time.. Thanks, MAK and keep smiling!
October 23rd, 2014 at 11:31 AM
June it’s always a possibility that altercations will occur-however, at this time of year when the hormones are not raging battles probably wouldn’t be as violent as say in late winter/early spring when nests and territories are #1 on their minds. DC does not fail to entertain-I’m glad you had fun watching, so did I! 🙂
October 23rd, 2014 at 1:48 PM
Great report, MAK & exciting day for sure! 🙂
October 23rd, 2014 at 7:06 PM
Thanks Patricia-when are you going to join me!? 🙂