Morning watch 3-25-13
By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK
At one degree above freezing it felt like a heatwave this morning! Not much wind and no sun as my day started.
My first run across the Broad St. Bridge(BSB) found no falcons so as per usual I went to the east side of downtown which had no results either. As I came back down Broad St. I could see a falcon on the Mercury money bag. I stopped on the bridge to ID it and then I drove down to the hole to observe Beauty.
I was parked on Bank Place, a one way street that goes to Aqueduct St. from Exchange Blvd.-it runs along the south side of the Philipone building and straight ahead is Thomson Reuters. I was facing east toward Mercury so the Times Square Building(TSB)was behind me and I couldn’t see the nest box so I turned left onto Aqueduct St. Dana was parked there and yelled to me-she had to go to jury duty around the corner so she stopped to check things out. While chatting Beauty flew to the nest box which signals that Dot.Ca(DC) is incoming. Sure enough as I rounded the corner into the parking lot on the north side of the Philipone building I could see that DC had arrived under the northwest wing of the TSB.
I drove over to park in front of the Blue Cross Arena to observe. Donna reported to me that DC had swooped Beauty once after she went to the nest box which I missed. 20 minutes later DC flew out and swooped her just one time again. He then proceeded to fly over to Mercury landing on the money bag briefly and was off again circled the TSB and went behind it out of view. Meanwhile Beauty had left the nest box so that’s why DC was off flying. I spent 30 minutes looking for them with no luck so I left for the Brighton Site(BS) to see if DC had gone there to Pigott.
When I got there I could here echupping coming from the broken window on the west extension where we think they had a failed scrape last year. Soon after stopping Pigott appeared in the window. She flew out and back again briefly echupping the whole time.
I wondered where DC was and then Pigott went around to the south side of the west extension and landed on the southwest corner. Then I saw DC land on her and start mating-I could only see his wings flapping from where I was parked so I quick drove over there and just as I stopped they finished. DC flew to the northwest corner as Pigott remained on the southwest corner whining a bit. 
They could see each other-both flew off 30 minutes later with Pigott going to the window scrape and DC going to the cubby on the east extension. She joined him and they echupped for 5 minutes out of my view,then DC shot out of there in a blur going to the southwest corner. Pigott came out to the front edge of the cubby making soft sounds and whines as DC ignored her to preen with his back to her.
Miss Pigott then went back in the cubby after 10 minutes continuing to make the sweet little sounds. 15 minutes later DC flew to the north roof and landed in on it where again I could only see his wings flapping as he and Pigott(who snuck over there without me seeing) were mating again. DC flew north when they were done and Pigott went to the northwest corner. DC did not return after a few minutes so I left Pigott looking north to return to downtown. As I approached downtown traveling down Exchange St. I could see DC under the southeast wing of TSB.
DC stayed up there for the next 30 minutes preening and looking down at the nest box then he flew off circling above the Philipone and Wilder buildings. Unbeknownst to me, Beauty had flown out of the nest box and was on the southwest corner of the Wilder building waiting for him. I fumbled with my camera as they caught me off guard when DC mounted her and they mated. They both flew off out of sight afterward.
Click it to see DC exit left
They came back into view flying in front of the nest box then he went to the money bag of Mercury. She flew past him and he jumped off to follow her to the north out of view. They would come in and out of view flying all over the downtown area with DC diving at her from time to time. After 20 minutes of this on the wing show DC went to the southeast wing ring and Beauty disappeared.
After 15 minutes of preening DC bolted off the ring to the southwest meeting up with Beauty and chasing her to the nest box. Just as she was to land he swooped on her,she went in the box then he swooped one more time before going to Mercury.
He stayed 10 minutes then flew off to the east. Beauty had also left the nest box. I drove back to BS after searching in vain for them arriving at 12:15pm. Pigott was on the west end of the south side vent whining and a few minutes later DC flew over her.
She followed him quite noisily as they went to the back of the cubby for another long winded echup fest followed by the sound of mating. Next DC came shooting out flying over to the southwest corner of the west extension. Pigott remained in the cubby out of my view as I decided to end my watch. Just some thoughts before I end my report-I think the fact that DC never went to the window scrape, instead leading Pigott to the cubby where they bonded may mean that he wants that to be the scrape now. This would be a much safer spot for babies stretching their wings than in an open broken window and it’s well protected from the elements and that my friends makes me smile! 🙂
Click the links below for more of my pics and videos
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http://youtu.be/_XC2dxBZmvw
http://youtu.be/IW6AjdSgrh0
http://youtu.be/Iif7QMDpFtk
http://youtu.be/pFOmj2foYBs
http://youtu.be/eQui9b8OkBE
March 25th, 2013 at 9:09 PM
I think you may be right about where DC led Pigott. Is that broken, shattered glass in the window of the picture you posted? It sure looks like it to me.
DC is quite the Casanova! So it looks like he will have two families to care for this spring and both families with robust, healthy females! It sounds like, from the reports, that he does more flying around with Beauty. Is P still too young? It continues to be fascinating to watch the behavior of these gorgeous creatures.
Thank you for keeping us so updated about them that it’s almost like being there! You have there schedules down pat! You know when DC is going to show up, and when B leaves the NB where she is headed. Love it!
March 25th, 2013 at 9:12 PM
Great report, MAK…thank you. I also agree with you about the new scrape site…HOPEFULLY…I had shivers when I saw her by that broken glass.
March 25th, 2013 at 10:12 PM
Yes Margaret, it’s broken glass-this building has many broken windows from vandals. Pigott is not too young-I expect there will be eggs at both sites this year.
Yes Kathy, we watchers get nervous seeing them go in and out of that window too-all we can think of is the eyasses exercising their wings in that opening and slicing them off on the broken glass. The cubby is a much better choice for a scrape and I hope they lay eggs in there. 🙂
March 25th, 2013 at 10:40 PM
I hope the eyasses get raised in the cubby too. I hate that broken glass..it scares me that Pigott will get hurt on it too.
Great pics too. I was smiling and laughing till I cried at your captions! 🙂 🙂
March 25th, 2013 at 11:55 PM
Yes Ginny, we all hope they lay eggs anywhere else but in that broken window. Fingers crossed! I’m glad you enjoy my captions so much. 🙂
March 26th, 2013 at 10:51 AM
Hmm, I wonder about the viable sperm production in this active tiercel. He mates so much in such a short time, I wonder if every “bullet” is loaded or if some are just a bonding exercise because his production cannot keep up with his opportunity.
March 26th, 2013 at 2:23 PM
Hmm is right Alison-I’ve wondered the same thing! 🙂