Morning watch 2-12-13
By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK
We’ve had a very windy 24 hours here in Rachacha with gusts to 50mph (81km). Thankfully the temperature got up to 49 degrees yesterday and melted all the snow off trees and utility wires before the winds started whipping.
Arriving downtown a couple minutes before 7:00am I spotted Beauty on the top ibeam southeast side of OCSR immediately. I love it when I don’t have to search for her right off the bat!
I left the Broad St. Bridge for Graves St. to be closer to my favorite female Peregrine Falcon. It was still a bit dark out because of the overcast skies. Beauty stayed only 20 minutes before she flew off heading south.
I spent a half hour looking for the Beautyful one to no avail so over to the Brighton Site I went. BST was the only one home which is the norm for me in the morning and another norm is that he was asleep. lol He was on the 2nd south facing window down in the corner of the east extension.
BST faded in and out for the first 10 minutes but then he woke up in earnest when he spotted a large raptor in the eastern sky. He left in a blur and met up with it in record time stooping on it 2 times in the tree tops. This was more than enough for the much larger hawk or eagle to handle as it beat feet out of the area. BST then returned and came to rest on the southeast corner of the east extension.
BST spent 40 minutes up on that corner keeping a watchful eye over the territory, preening and pooping but mostly he hung on as the wind gusts almost knocked him off a few times
<BST catching himself after a wind gust
At just around 9:00am BST flew off the corner back to the same window on the east extension as I found him when I arrived.
I left him to check on Beauty before ending my watch at about 9:30am. Beauty made it real easy on me by being on the same top ibeam southeast side spot that I found her on first thing this morning making it equally as easy to smile as I left downtown. 🙂
Click the links below for more pics and videos
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AaN3DFm0ZMWrVkg
February 12th, 2013 at 9:57 PM
Beautiful pics and videos MAK! I love reading your reports!
Thank you!
🙂
February 12th, 2013 at 10:37 PM
Good report, nice photos and videos, MAK! I lucked out, checking streaming video, and got to see Beauty on her “front porch” today. She looks like a very healthy girl. I did send you a personal message, but it came to me? Am still learning to navigate the Forum.
Hope the winds settle down for you tomorrow.
February 12th, 2013 at 11:31 PM
Thanks Ginny and Barb!
Barb it makes me smile when Beauty is on cam for everyone to see. She’s totally healthy and looking as Beautyful as she ever has. I got your message and sent a reply. The wind has calmed down considerably! 🙂
February 13th, 2013 at 1:40 AM
Got your reply, MAK. Thanks! Lots of helpful info. for this novice.
February 13th, 2013 at 6:22 AM
Happy to help Barb. I’m pretty much a novice myself! 🙂
February 13th, 2013 at 8:10 AM
Beauty is certainly looking like a beauty! Wonderful to see her coming through the winter is such fine form!
February 13th, 2013 at 11:58 AM
Yes Margaret, she’s weathered the winter just fine! 🙂
February 14th, 2013 at 8:30 PM
This building where Piggot and BeST hang out. They spend all this time on window ledges… Is the building abandoned? or are there people in the rooms behind these windows?
February 15th, 2013 at 6:16 AM
It’s abandoned Alison. The parking lot is used as a park and ride for one of the local colleges. 🙂
February 18th, 2013 at 8:16 PM
Wow, if only one could squat in the rooms behind the favorite windows for a couple of months….