Morning watch 2-28-15
By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK
A cold start at 6:30am as I left home with a temperature of 0 (F) -18 (C) degrees, but the sun came out and the high today is forecast for 22 (F)
Click on the pics to see the full version
No falcons seen at Seneca Towers either before or after my downtown watch. I bypassed the OCSR elevator shaft this morning and headed over to Elm St. where once again I found Beauty eating on a northeast corner of Legacy Tower (LT) formerly known as Bausch & Lomb (B&L).
Beauty finished eating, came out to the corner for some feaking action then she took off flying northwest at 6:57am, as she has done most days the last couple weeks.
I caught up with her as I pulled over in my spot at the Radisson Hotel by Main St.-she was on the south side ledge of the OCSR elevator shaft and Dot.ca (DC) was on the north side ledge finishing up a meal. When he was done he did some feaking and talon picking. The Beautyful one was feaking as well-you know what they say: the pair that feaks together, stays together!
<Click on pics 
DC flew out and over to the top I-beam southeast side of OCSR for just a short time and then he flew off over the river to the east only to fly back to display his flying skills to Beauty as he passed by her in the elevator shaft twice. He then landed on the small I-beam between the elevator shaft and the building.
Off he went again to make 2 more passes and also there was echupping each time he went by. I got the feeling DC wanted to mate with Beauty but wouldn’t try it in the close quarters of the elevator shaft. He ended up flying back to the north side ledge of the elevator shaft and disappeared to the back of it. The sun washed DC out in my pics of him passing by Beauty, but he shows up better in my snippet video albeit they are brief glimpses, you get the picture. It was almost like he was swooping as in the old days, only flying up at her instead of down. At the time we thought it was aggression but maybe it’s just his way of courting.
<Click to see DC flying up to ledge
I stayed and looked at Beauty’s back for half hour or so while DC hid on his side of the elevator shaft. I ended my watch at Seneca Towers at 8:30am. I do believe our downtown pair is ready and raring to get courtship, mating and bonding duties going-now we just need the weather to cooperate and melt the snow in the nest box! Stay tuned and keep smiling, I know I will! 🙂
Click on the links below to see today’s videos
February 28th, 2015 at 1:43 PM
When I looked in to read the latest posts I found a nice white breasted falcon on Camera 2. Someone has been tromping around in the snow in the nest box, but not making much of a dent in it….
February 28th, 2015 at 2:23 PM
From your description and from looking at the videos I think you’re right, MAK. The hormones are starting to kick in. Oh boy! Here comes the fun!
February 28th, 2015 at 3:23 PM
That’s because he forgot to bring the shovel Alison! 🙂
February 28th, 2015 at 3:25 PM
Oh yeah Pat, they are ready to get in that nest box minus the snow and I believe they’ve probably already started canoodling! 🙂