Morning/swoopfest watch 3-21-13
By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK
Another winterized spring morning with a temperature of 20 (F) -7 (C) to start my watch. A biting wind with blue skies and sunshine once the sun came up.
It wasn’t until 7:30am some 40 minutes into my watch that I found my first Peregrine. I spotted Dot.Ca (DC) on one of his favorite perches from last year, the northwest wing ring at the highest point of the Times Square building (TSB).
DC was looking every which way but loose either for prey or Beauty. I observed him from Broad St. next to the Democrat&Chronicle for 15 minutes and then he flew down where I couldn’t see him. As I drove around the corner to Exchange St. I could see he had gone to the ledge under the northeast wing directly above the nest box on the TSB.
Hmm, did he see Beauty coming from somewhere? I parked myself over by Keybank in the hole to observe. A few minutes later DC flew off to the northwest and I quickly lost him behind the buildings. Just past the 8 o’clock hour I caught a glimpse of a falcon fly to the nest box. Donna and Ei verified it for me-thank you very much! Minutes later I heard a lot of vocalization coming from Beauty, then DC came in and landed under the northeast wing. He flew off, did a few swoops at the nest box and returned to the wing ledge. He would repeat this pattern for the next 20 minutes.
The last swoopfest was a long one lasting several minutes until he gave it up and left the area. At some point Beauty left the nest box and then the search was on-it took 45 minutes to find the Beautyful one on the top ibeam southeast side of OCSR. Once again I parked in the hole to see her up in the bright sunshine which made her look very white and illuminated.
I thought it a good idea to go to the Brighton site(BS) at this time since I didn’t see DC anywhere in my travels. When I arrived there Pigott was on the top roof ledge on the east side above the tree top ledge.
Minutes later she started to whine and then she dropped down to the tree top roof ledge as DC came flying in, coming to rest on the southeast corner of the top roof above the tree top ledge around 9:30am.
Click on the pics for the full version 
I had to call in a prescription and as luck would have it DC and Pigott mated when I was on the phone. I glanced up and saw them by chance and was so distracted that I had to ask the pharmacist to repeat herself! lol He flew off to the east and Pigott turned around on her ledge to face the east so she could watch him. A minute later she hacked up a pellet. When I was sure DC had left the area I drove back downtown arriving just in time to witness DC swooping once again on Beauty at the nest box. I pulled over in front of the Blue Cross Arena for another round of swoopfest as he flew up under the northeast wing to watch her down below in her nest box.
For the next 2 hours DC would repeat this pattern of swooping on Beauty then landing under the northeast wing-sometimes just a few swoops and other times many,many swoops. I couldn’t help but notice that he had his talons down as he passed over Beauty just inches from her head, which made me think that this is NOT fun and games or courtship or display flying. He wants that nest for Pigott and himself-this is my thought process about his behavior. He mates with Pigott and then comes downtown to get a nest for her. Again just my opinion.
Remember to click the pics for full version
During one of the longer sessions Beauty came out on the deck ducking as DC flew above her like a mini missile. She didn’t look like she was enjoying herself .
Joyce and Brian pulled up next to me as I sat next to Keybank in the hole. I ended my watch at 12:30pm smiling only because Joyces’ dogs Casey and Abby gave me lots of excited to see me kisses! 🙂
I have provided links for more pics and many videos below-just click them to view
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AaN3DFm0ZMWrZcA
http://youtu.be/zUVyWSoIpd4
http://youtu.be/shKRqEW9e6Y
http://youtu.be/jtG84EQeVRE
http://youtu.be/2Phv7QMbXaI
http://youtu.be/Fh7i4p1JEpE
http://youtu.be/IF9UqPRMDUM
http://youtu.be/6MFbNIdEl_c
http://youtu.be/_in3KhuAYMw
March 21st, 2013 at 8:07 PM
MAK, I know we are not supposed to get “emotional” out here in bird land – sorry, June and GVAS, but this has to be so hard for you- you, who spends live time, for hours, in Beauty’s company. It’s hard for me, and I”m watching from miles away on a screen. …and I’m feeling horrible about all of this.
I asked a question last night…we have watchers from all over the world and the states; has anyone ever seen this type of behavior before? A male, a known male, and prior mate to a female , returns and dive bombs her at their nest site, talons down? It’s not flirting here. I know some are saying that Dot.ca did this same thing last year, and yes, I remember him trying to kill her, but I don’t remember this relentless and endless swooping that we are seeing this year. Has anyone, anywhere, seen this behavior before?
March 21st, 2013 at 8:42 PM
Dang, I want UT to come back.
Do you suppose that Dot.Ca’s size makes him less hesitant to attack females, who are, in the natural order of peregrine life, the dominant part of a pair? He tries to take Pigott’s food away (no wonder she is always whining in his company), then he flies downtown to browbeat Beauty. What a gangster!
March 21st, 2013 at 9:01 PM
Margaret, it’s hard on all of us to see this because we don’t understand and don’t know the outcome. Who’s to say that this behavior doesn’t happen with other Peregrines-we’re fortunate here in Rochester to have folks that can get out often to watch. I can’t speculate as to why DC does what he does, I can only observe and share with everyone those observations. We humans think too much and it causes heart ache for us-I know because I can sometimes be an overly sensitive gal. Do I get upset-you bet I do, but I realize DC is doing what he is programmed to do. Believe me, I have to remind myself all the time of that fact. That being said, I wish DC would knock it off already! lol
Alison, I would love to see UT with Beauty and DC with Pigott with their own nest box. A gangster?! lol 🙂
March 21st, 2013 at 9:45 PM
And, MAK, you do a wonderful job of “sharing and observing” with all of us out here in bird land. Like I told you before, you have to write that book! Humans and birds sharing space!
March 21st, 2013 at 10:01 PM
MAK, I have to say I am agreeing with you that this is not courtship behavior. I feel awful when I see those talons so close to our girl’s head….I hate to say but I would rather know she is living safe and free and out of the area although I would miss her. But I would rather miss her that way and not the other.
It’s hard to believe they had a “child” together last year…..
This is sad and sorry GVAS but that’s the way I feel…
March 22nd, 2013 at 12:25 AM
Thanks Margaret, but there isn’t a whole lot of time left at the end of the day for writing a book-but ya never know!
Ginny, I’m confident that things will work out ok-remember this went on last year with DC and Beauty. The difference maker is I didn’t have wheels last year enabling me to go watching everyday like now. Therefore a lot of this wasn’t seen,photographed or taped. 🙂