Morning watch 3-29-13
By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK
One year ago today on Good Friday we lost Unity when she was run over by a car on Broad St. by the Central Library. I’d like to dedicate todays watch report to her memory.
This morning I started my watch under overcast conditions with a temperature of 36 (F) 2 (C) finding Beauty at 6:30am. She was on her early morning hunting spot -the southeast corner of HSBC.
She dropped off 2 times to stoop on pigeons only to return empty taloned. The third time she flew off she didn’t come back so I took off for the Broad St. Bridge (BSB). As I came up on the bridge Dan was just pulling up and Beauty was on the base of Mercury.
She had prey with her but after a few bites of it she stopped and started looking at the Times Square building (TSB). I had gone to the hole (Aqueduct St. ) to see the front of her to make sure it was her and not Dot.Ca (DC). I took her cue when she looked toward TSB and turned around to see DC had joined us and was under the southeast wing at 7:00am. Beauty took off for the nest box leaving her food behind. 20 minutes later Beauty returned to the base of Mercury and DC then took her cue and flew over to mate. She was ready with tail up, but he went in at the wrong angle and had to abort at the last second.
DC went to the northeast wing and Beauty started eating breakfast. I went up on the bridge to join Dan while there was a lull in the action-he was very cold and planned to go soon.
10 minutes later when Beauty had her fill, she and DC flew to the north out of view so I walked down by the Blue Cross Arena to see Beauty and DC mate on the Wilder building southwest corner. Beauty went over to the nest box deck and DC went to the money bag of Mercury when they were done.
I can’t always see everything because some places are good to view them on certain spots and up on the bridge isn’t the best place to be these days to keep track. When I was up there with Dan I had trouble keeping track so when he left I went back and forth between the hole and in front of the main entrance to the Blue Cross Arena on Exchange St. All the flying around downtown last week has been replaced by staying close to the TSB and their nest box this week. Different strategies for viewing are required now and much back and forth maneuvering because of the way the buildings are situated.
That being said, I missed a food gift at the nest box from Beauty (which is backwards but oh well whatever works), and I also missed that same very dark feathered bird get cached under the southeast wing of the TSB somewhere around this time. I also heard echupping at the nest box so I imagine that’s when the food was brought over. What I did see was the last bit of Beauty and DC mating on the southwest corner of the Wilder building again then DC went to the Mercury money bag.
After saying good bye to Dan I found Beauty on the northeast column above the nest box and DC at the southeast wing. She was watching him as he had gone to the back of the wing and grabbed the cached bird.
A few minutes passed then Beauty went up and landed next to DC which prompted him to fly off then she started eating the black feathered prey. I found DC under the northwest wing eating something over there-so we had bookend falcons.
They finished up and Beauty went to the nest box while DC flew over to the northeast wing. Around 8:30am Beauty flew to the base of Mercury followed by DC where they mated. He then went to the northeast wing.
A minute later Beauty went to the deck by the main cam.
I could see her look up at him every once in a while and after a lull in the action I left to check on Pigott at the Brighton location around 9:15am. She was nowhere to be found so I returned to downtown after 15 minutes time. When I arrived Beauty was at the nest box and DC was on the base of Mercury. I ended my watch a little before the 10 o’clock hour with a smile on my face thinking that there will soon be eggs. 🙂
Click on the links below to view more pics and videos from my watch
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AaN3DFm0ZMWrajA
http://youtu.be/4A5VLs99a9o
http://youtu.be/Fe3t8-JYekA
http://youtu.be/Y-_BHK2QjAs
http://youtu.be/vF3mup-aVi0
http://youtu.be/GcfEYqoDbbA
March 29th, 2013 at 5:36 PM
Thank you for dedicating this report to Unity, I still miss her cranky face looking back at me over morning coffee. I hope she’s soaring the heavens now 🙂
March 29th, 2013 at 7:00 PM
To Unity! Thanks MAK 🙂
March 29th, 2013 at 7:34 PM
gone but not forgotten.
March 29th, 2013 at 7:55 PM
I was thinking of Unity today too. To Unity! Fly free, and fly high!
March 29th, 2013 at 9:01 PM
Thank you MAK for another great report. Thinking of Unity reminds us how fragile life is. To Unity!
March 29th, 2013 at 10:19 PM
It was one year ago today that Unity laid her egg-3 days after Archer was injured. Unity died on April 6th, same day that Beauty returned. So many sad memories from last year.
March 29th, 2013 at 11:10 PM
Kris, I don’t know what the date was I just remember it was Good Friday and it was one of the most emotional days of my life. The loss of Unity and the return of the Beautyful one. Bittersweet for sure! 🙂
March 29th, 2013 at 11:57 PM
I thought of Unity today too and I hope she is soaring free in a better world.
Thank you MAK!
March 30th, 2013 at 11:56 AM
I know she is Ginny! 🙂
March 30th, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Mak-I wrote the dates down last year of different things that happened plus April 6th is our oldest granddaughter’s birthday. I remember how we were going to call her that night when I got a text from Donna about Unity’s death and then later, Beauty’s return. I know what an awful day it was for you-just posted dates for people that might want to know as the archives are gone from here.
March 30th, 2013 at 4:41 PM
I pass by the spot where Unity was killed every workday. It’s on my way to the bus stop in the evening. At that point Broad Street rises slightly. I call the spot Unity Rise.
March 30th, 2013 at 6:31 PM
No problem Kris-it’s good that you explained things for people that are new and not familiar. Thanks!
Patsy I like that-Unity Rise 🙂