A Falcon at KP! Late Afternoon Watch – 2/13/13
By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.
When I left work today, I did my normal check of the KP area, especially the catwalks on the stacks, a favorite perch for the Peregrines that have spent time there. Was that lump what I thought it was? It had to be! I took a picture before heading over to verify that there was a Peregrine Falcon on the west stack catwalk.
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Why yes! It was a Peregrine Falcon! Adult for sure. Bright white chest, dark helmet and very poofed out due to the cold. The Falcon was on the south side of the west stack catwalk. I took some pics and watched the falcon through my scope for awhile, hoping to see if this bird was banded or not. I could not verify that there were or were not any bands.
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After lots of preening and looking around, the falcon took off, flying directly over me, heading NW. The Pefa (Peregrine Falcon) flew in large, lazy circles, gaining altitude, definitely in hunt mode. It flew slowly out of my view. I moved to another spot to watch from, waiting to see if the falcon would return. It did not.
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While waiting to see if the falcon would return, I watched two Red-tail Hawks soaring gracefully east of the stacks. Right after that, a Kestrel came buzzing through heading towards the west end of the complex. Things will start to get interesting around here from this point forward.
The sun was setting, so I decided to head home. Tomorrow was another day. The Watchers will definitely be keeping an eye on things as all this unfolds!
February 14th, 2013 at 11:40 AM
Carol, you had quite the Raptor-ous watch! Wonder who the mystery Peregrine was at KP? You’re so good at those in-flight pics!
February 14th, 2013 at 4:20 PM
Could it be Dot.Ca? And maybe that’s why B has been looking north?
February 14th, 2013 at 7:04 PM
Thanks much Barb! 🙂
Margaret – I am pretty sure it was not Dot.ca.
February 14th, 2013 at 11:54 PM
Your pics of the KP pefa helmet reminds me of the visiting unbanded male that came to the nestbox a year ago before the residents males returned.
February 16th, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Hi Carol,
I haven’t been keeping up very well so please excuse any repeat questions. Any chance Archer could have survived and come back to Unity’s old spot?
Also, every winter since Mariah went missing, I have seen a Falcon near the Irondequoit Bay Bridge. Sometimes on a light and sometimes in a tree. I remember a post last year of a young Falcon (brain fails me now, I forgot what the babies are called.) Seen in a dead tree near the end of the bridge. Any chance there is a scrape around the Bay somewhere?