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Eyes to the Skies

Morning watch 2-24-15

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

I’m ready for warmer temps as it was -4 (F) -20 (C) when I stepped out for my watch this morning with overcast skies

Click on the pics to see the full version

I found Dot.ca on the top I-beam southeast side of OCSR when I first arrived downtown this morning at 6:45am as I was checking the elevator shaft.

img_0005-dc-with-the-goods img_0008-dc-eats img_0009-dc1

I left him to it as I left to look for his Beautyful mate, driving straight down Main St. to get to Elm St. where I can check the north and east side of Legacy Tower (LT) formerly known as Bausch & Lomb. Beauty was right up there on one of the northeast corners eating her breakfast.

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Beauty finished up soon after I arrived, did a little feaking then flew west. I tweeted it out then left to find out where she went.

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I went to the Radisson Hotel by Main St. to check the north side of the OCSR elevator shaft-Beauty was already there and just as I turned the car off DC I spotted DC flying up to the south side ledge, thus joining her. I went down farther in the hotel driveway to where I could see both Beauty and DC. At first they were feaking and cleaning up, then Beauty turned her back to me

img_0029-bdc<Click it> img_0035-bdc img_0032-dc-feaking1<DC

I stayed for a few minutes and once they seemed settled I left for home to check Seneca Towers for Billie and 99. I was not disappointed as I stopped in the Northridge Church parking lot for a look/see at the north end of the building. Billie was on the top window ledge and 99 was on his way up there to join her landing with his back to me.

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Just a few minutes later as I finished tweeting it out they both took off fast to the north with 99 leading the way over the river past the trees at Seneca Park Zoo and out of view. When they didn’t return I went over to the zoo road to check the Kodak buildings across the river on Lake Ave.  I didn’t find them so I continued on down back behind the zoo to Seneca Park to check on the water birds in the mostly frozen pond. The gang was all there and then some. I was lucky enough to see for the first time ,a Great Black-billed Gull who had caught itself a nice sized fish.

img_0048-great-black-backed-gull img_0049-biggest-gull-in-the-world img_0050-big-gull-has-big-fish<Click on all these pics to see the full version

First thing I noticed were the black wings and the size of this gull-it is the largest gull in the world. Not until another regular sized gull came into the picture did I realize just how huge the black-winged one was! He ate at the belly of the fish then picked it up and swallowed the rest right down. He turned around, flew off to the south and never looked back!

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What a great way to end my watch at 9am-as if seeing all 4 Rochester Peregrine Falcons wasn’t already enough to make me smile! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/Q4l6EeRD3S0

http://youtu.be/UJkQ7-f3LH4

http://youtu.be/cXS5CCMD7Po

http://youtu.be/1bVfyYQOTio

http://youtu.be/lCifChMRvX0

There is one more video of Beauty and DC that I’m having issues with-if I can get it to upload I will add that link to this report later

http://youtu.be/wLKwOEmhTsU



4 Responses to “Morning watch 2-24-15”

  1. patsy6 Says:

    Beautiful pics of the gulls and ducks in the pond, MAK, but oh, the poor fishy!

  2. MAK Says:

    Thanks Pat-I guess that poor fishy served its purpose eh!? 🙂

  3. June Kogut Says:

    I was mourning the fish for a while too, but then I was reminded how happy we are when our four falcons are all eating and I was happier that we don’t get to see WHO they are eating (usually)..Thanks for that!!Beautiful gull, though!! Thanks, MAK!! J.

  4. MAK Says:

    You’re welcome June! Whenever I see one animal eating another I remind my self that the only difference between them and humans is that we eat animals already dead and cooked (unless you’re a vegetarian). Everybody has to eat! 🙂


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