Sunday 18-Jul-2010

 

Morning – 6:10 AM Archer and Callidora on HSBC, Callidora eating breakfast. 8:30 – Callidora and Beauty flew over river, then to jail, went behind TS and disappeared. Archer was on OCSR but also has disappeared.  Watchers began to gather again at Aqueduct Park. Callidora was on tall FCT crying. Adult was on short tower.

 

Afternoon – Archer & Beauty on top I-beam OCSR northside. Can hear Callidora above. Many watchers took leave and began their trip home.

 

Ginha reports:

Here are the pictures I took Saturday. A FUN time was had by all. I only got 2 shots of a Falcon. I leave that to the Watchers with the big lenses.

 

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=h8pt95f.7csaxi0z&x=1&y=-kmxj1k&localeid=en_US

 

http://tinyurl.com/3529366

 

 

 

Evening – A top I-beam OCSR southside. Archer and Callidora soaring over the city, higher and higher. Nice flight lesson!  Callidora landed on base of mercury. She took off and headed towards HSBC and was spotted on the westside of HSBC…crying.

 

Braveheart2665 reports:

Had a fantastic time Sat. & it was great to meet all the watchers.

 

Dumpsterkitty reports: 

One quick story & picture before I crash (339 pictures and quite a few of them actually have falcons in them! Be a few days before I sort through it all…)

 

When I left the hotel this morning I saw Beauty on the SE corner of Changing scenes top I beam.  Took a couple of pictures & went on my merry way to the Broad St. Bridge and met up with Don, Suzanne & Dana.  Don asked if I had seen Archer on Changing Scenes.  I said, no, it’s Beauty.  He said, no, it’s Archer-here’s his picture.  I said I stand corrected.  He said they had switched, so I figured I had just missed it while I was walking over.  Until I looked at my pictures…

 

Colleen T reports: 

I had a great time, loved seeing everyone again and meeting new people.  Missed some of the flights yesterday, but saw some great family flying this morning and of course, my special Callidora show yesterday morning!  Many memories!

 

I just want to say thank you to all the locals.  Every year you roll out the red carpet and are the best hosts.  But after everything you do daily for the falcons and for us by posting your reports, your fabulous pictures, maps, not to mention all the work on the website and cameras…(I could go on for days!), I feel like we should be hosting you.  Instead you feed us, give us buttons, maps, tags, notepaper… and all we do is show up.  Thank you isn’t enough.  You are a very special community, welcoming and generous.   Thank you! 

 

 

Paul Hamilton reports: 

Thanks for a great time!  Between the amazing hospitality of the local Watchers, the great city of Rochester, and the falcons, all three of us had a wonderful time.  Fireworks, breakfast, companionship, and falcons — that’s all one really needs.

 

I’ve got about a half hour of videotape to process.  That;s going to take a while.  I also have a few still pictures of Beauty and Archer on the Old Changing Scenes restaurant that I can post now.  There is much mention on rfalconcam of the “I-beams” on Changing Scenes.  Our room at the Radisson was a great place to view Changing Scenes, so here are the I-beams, complete with falcons. 

 

I also added a shot of the nestbox from our room.  This is what the falcons see as they fly to the box.  After this weekend, I have a much better feel for the world of the Rochester Peregrines.  I hope that my edited videos will help people who were unable to attend to get a similar understanding.

 

A big, “Thank You” to all the Watchers– both local out-of-town — who made this weekend so special.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeanne reports:

It was so great to see everyone!!!  So glad we have these weekends!  Glad you all made it home safe! 

 

Carol P reports:

Thank you all for coming to Rochester to visit with Archer, Beauty and Callidora!  New birds and a new place to get acquainted with.  It was so nice seeing old and new friends that share our love of these magnificent creatures.  You all make this such a warm and friendly place to visit.

 

Thanks for letting us know that you’ve arrived home safely.  I hope that you’ll all be able to return next year.   Take care.

 

Lynne in New Hampshire reports: 

Our thanks to all the Rochester people for the hospitality that was shown to all of us!  As always we had a great time.  It was great to see everyone from out of town again.  Great people-good food-wonderful time!! And don’t forget the wonderful Falcon’s who put on a great flying show for us.  ~ Lynne and Bob

 

MAK reports:

It was really good to meet all the out-of-towners. I’m kinda sad that watchers weekend is over. It sure was alot of fun with everyone. I hope you all return next year and more out-of-towners who didn’t make it  can join us.  Glad to hear everyone is getting home safe and sound.

 

Sage reports: 

Rochester Rocks!

 

Roger and I met many of the fantastic Rochester falcon-watchers this weekend at the Saturday breakfast in the park. More watchers arrived after these pictures were taken. I wish they would all move to Buffalo!

 

Callidora was spotted bringing her breakfast to the event which she ate from a building next to the park! Later, two pefas were seen flying overhead before they disappeared behind the buildings. We hope Callidora’s brother Jemison can soon join her and give the dedicated falcon watchers a wonderful treat!

 

Thanks for the great time, Rochester!

  

Saturday 17-Jul-2010

 

Morning – 6:15 AM Callidora flying above the Xerox, Dan said all 3 were flying around there for 1/2 hour.

 

Colleen T reports:

The morning began with no falcons, then 2 on changing scenes.  Then Wendy and I went over to the garage looking for either watchers or falcons.  Saw neither for a while, then just a glimpse of a falcon who flew from behind OCS to behind a building.

 

So Wendy and I decided to go over to the pedestrian bridge (around 7:30).  Again, no watchers and no falcons…until….

 

We hear a bunch of little birds twittering and Wendy says “I guess I’ll just do some regular bird watching, since there are no falcons”.   I turn to see the birds she’s talking about and silhouetted against the sun is this bigger bird…”Wendy, what’s that?!”  It was Callidora!  She gave us our own private show – it was awesome!  She chased the little birds for a while (right over our heads!), did circles around the gorge (wish we had been on the observation deck – she was real low over that), stooped on a seagull, did a circle around downtown then landed on the communication tower.

 

A little after 8 she headed back downtown and so did we.  I can see some watchers starting to gather at the park for the breakfast (I recognize Brian, Kapi and others whose names I can’t remember).  I’ll be down there soon!

 

900 AM – Watchers Weekend is launched with a BANG!  Archer, Beauty and Callidora with a food exchange over the river! What a great way to start!   The Tailgate Breakfast was a success!  Everyone had fun getting a tattoo. Watchers occasionally spotted a falcon flying.  Archer landed on OCSR second I beam far left.

 

Afternoon –  Archer still on northside OCSR.  Beauty and Callidora on FCT in the red below platform. Too hot for much activity.  Watchers take a break and head out to the Planetarium.  Due to traffic re-routing because of a parade on East Ave, all access was blocked and several didn’t make it to the shows Falcons of Toronto & Dolphins.

 

Evening – Beauty on top I-beam southside OCSR. Archer on top I-beam near elevator shaft northside OCSR.  Beauty and Callidora soaring together. Callidora over gorge and loving being a peregrine. 8:30 PM Callidora stooped on and chased a duck down to the river. Watchers got quite the show! Woohoo! Callidora then landed on Widows Walk. At 9:00 PM two falcons were on the eastside of Xerox – one was Callidora settling in for the night.

 

 

 

Friday 16-Jul-2010

 

Morning – started with all 3 on Midtown.  Beauty flew right over Pedestrian Bridge over watchers heads.  She is molting, missing a feather on each wing…easy to ID in flight. At 7:03 AM Callidora was on base of Mercury eating, feathers flying. Beauty landed minutes later. No Archer.  Beauty under NE wing Times Square (TS). Callidora still on Mercury, food dangling from her beak. She just took off and went behind Xerox building.

 

Afternoon – All 3 flying over Broad St. Archer went towards jail. Beauty landed on Mercury’s foot. Callidora on the base. Beauty took off with Callidora close behind. Flying lessons began all over downtown. Callidora remained downtown. Beauty hunted over river and landed on 2nd I-beam northside of Old Changing Scenes Restaurant (OCSR), also known as First Federal Building. One falcon on Frontier Communication Tower (FCT).  At 2:48pm MAK, Brian and Ei on South Ave. garage: Callidora and Archer on Frontier Communication Tower.

 

Evening – 5:10pm Beauty & Callidora dining on FCT. Archer on OCSR.

 

Colleen T reports:

From the 15th floor of the Radisson I see one falcon (Archer?) directly across from me on the Old Changing Scenes building, preening and another on the communication tower.  I may not leave my room!  (Don’t know where to go anyway…)  Seems like I have a good spot here (and in a/c!)

 

Watchers gathered on South Ave garage. Archer gave a great aerial display over watcher’s heads. Then all three were spotted flying above gorge.  More watchers arrived to see Archer and Callidora flying around Xerox.  9:00 PM Beauty flew in with a huge bird in her talons.  It was so huge she was struggling!  Watchers didn’t think she would make it to the top of Xerox but she did!  Beauty & Callidora at top of Xerox.

 

 

 

 

Thursday 15-Jul-2010 – Out-of-towner arrives…

 

Dumpsterkitty reports:

I finally found the REALLY slow public computer here at the Raddison-tiny room back by the garage-creepy!  Anyway-

 

Met up with MAK at City Hall.  She graciously drove me all around town until we FINALLY found Beauty and Callidora on the Jail Communication Tower.  Callidora is GINORMOUS!  They took off to the east & we followed.

 

Found Callidora (and Beauty hiding) on HSBC.  Jeanne, Shaky & Carrie joined us. C did some beautiful flying-you could just tell she was flying just because it was fun!  She and Beauty played some talon tag then flew way out east then back.  Around Xerox…scared up some crows. 

Eventually Archer came in and we saw all 3 flying together! Archer took off west…Beauty took a trip out east then suddenly showed up on Midtown…then Callidora took off way to the west.  At that point it was getting too dark to see. 

 

It was great to meet MAK & see Jeanne, Shaky & Carrie again!  Can’t wait to see the rest of the gang & meet some new friends!

 

 

Part of the photos at the below link show callidora on the widows walk around 7:30 AM, July 12, balancing and trying to eat her morning meal. The remaining photos are from previous watches.

 

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You can view the (15) photos at the below Kodak web site.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=692255677114%3A1437575693&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharer

Rochester Falcon Watcher:  Carol P.

With Jemison out of commission, hopefully temporarily, it was a joy to see his big sister Callidora doing so well.  At 4 pm, I joined Brian H on top of the Sister Cities Ramp garage.  It was blistering hot, but we found some shade and settled in to watch Callidora and Beauty on the Frontier communication tower.  For the first couple hours, there wasn’t much activity.

Brian explained that Beauty had earlier flown in with a pigeon.  Callidora was right on her tail, literally!  She tried to grab the pigeon with her beak, but Beauty would not allow it.  Beauty landed on a platform on the shorter of the two comm towers and Callidora landed next to her, finally wrestling the pigeon away from her mother.  With no time to prepare the meal, Beauty stood by as her daughter seemed to question why she wasn’t being fed.  😉

Brian said Beauty was softly kaking while Callidora slowly figured out what she had to do.  Feathers were plucked and dinner was finally self served.  Callidora is a quick learner, especially when it comes to food!

Twice during the afternoon, Callidora went to the pigeon, finishing most of it by the time I arrived.  Fed, with a full crop, both Beauty and Callidora settled inside the frame work of the taller communication tower, finding shade.  Archer visited for awhile and then took off flying over the gorge, then heading south, back towards the city where we lost sight of him.

MAK joined us and we continued to watch.  The first hour is no longer free in the city ramp garages.  It costs $1 for the first two hours.  When my two hours were up, we headed down to street level and parked in front of the City Hall.  There are nice benches located there.  Dana and Lou joined us on the Watch.

During the last hour and 1/2 of my Watch, Callidora took off a couple times, soaring around the area and always returning to the communication tower.  When I left at 7:30 pm, Callidora had settled on the top arm of the comm tower and Beauty was still within the framework below her.  She is flying really well and her landings are getting better and better.

I left the others to continue the Watch.

Rochester Falcon Watcher: Carol P.

While a big portion of the country is currently in a heat wave, many Rochester Falcon Watchers have been braving the scorching temperatures.  We all take keeping an eye on “our” fledglings very seriously.

Today’s Watchers included, Dan S, MAK, Brian H, Joyce, Marcia, Carrie, Shaky, Kathy O and Larry O (not related!  lol).

Brian remained downtown during the daytime, taking cool down breaks at the library and drinking lots of water.  He saw Callidora do some really nice flying during the afternoon.  Most of the day, Callidora was located on the Frontier Communication Tower, keeping to the shade.  Archer and Beauty were with her on and off during the day, but most of the time she was by herself.  Although I’m sure A&B were keeping an eye on her.

A little before 8 pm, Archer flew up to the communication tower and Callidora started crying.  As far as we knew, she had not been fed today.  Archer circled nearby, eventually heading south.  Soon after, Callidora took off, heading in the same direction.  Carrie and Shaky found them both on the Monroe Cty Jail’s communication tower.

The Watchers split up.  Marcia, MAK and I were located on the middle of the Broad St. Bridge, facing the Time Square Bldg. (TSB).  We could see both A&C on the comm twr.  The radio came to life, “Archer just took off heading north!”

I couldn’t see where he went, but I certain saw him returning towards us.  He was successful on his hunt.  Archer flew over us, clutching prey.  He ended up on the TSB on the base of the SE wing.  Feathers flew!  We reported to the others that Archer had food.

The others watching Callidora, called to say that she had taken off and was heading our way.  We watched as she flew towards the TSB, circling and screaming.  She eventually landed next to Archer.  In Marcia’s pictures, it shows that Archer attempted to feed her, but she would have none of that.  She grabbed her dinner and Archer was off, returning to the jail’s communication tower.

When I left at 8:30 pm, Callidora had finished her meal and had returned to join her father on the jail’s communication tower.  It was a nice ending to a very long, hot day.  🙂

Keep cool everyone!

Brian H continued watch this afternoon on top of South Avenue garage after Carol P left to take time to cool down.  Oppressively HOT!  He is taking periodic breaks to cool down.  He cannot Twitter. Brian reported via text messages:

12:24 pm – At library cooling off.  Left Callidora on communication tower tucked in, settled down.
1:15 pm – Callidora still tucked in the framework of Comm. Tower.  Beauty flew around and left.
1:36 pm – Callidora flew for 5 min. over downtown. Great flight, she came right over me twice.  Soared and talon tagged by herself.  Landed back on Comm. Tower.  Good landing, yelling while flying.
1:38 pm – 1 adult landed on top arm of Comm. Tower.
1:52 pm – Callidora is tucked back in gridwork, south middle of red part under platform. Adult still on upper arm.
2:01 pm – All 3 on Comm. Tower.  Alarm kakking – yelling at guys working on Frontier roof.
2:32 pm – Going for water.  It’s hot out here. Archer and Callidora on Comm. Tower.
2:37 pm – Going to library for air conditioning and water.
3:42 pm – I’m back on garage. Callidora is where I left her. Tired after all that flying.  No Archer or Beauty in sight.

Edit 4:40pm – Callidora took short flight twice around Comm. Tower with great landing.

Watcher: Jim P

We had a little trouble locating the falcons this morning, but a little searching revealed them on some familiar territory. Check out the latest story and pictures.
http://birdblog.marchlords.com/2010/07/callidoras-breakfast.html

Larry O

To put it succintly, Callidora’s lessons began in earnest today.

When Cleo & I arrived downtown, Carol P, Dawn (& Maggie), Don and Suzette were at Falcon Watch Central by Thompson – Reuters. Bringing me up to speed, they reported that A & B & C were all on the north side of OCSR in the shade.

The watch stayed quiet until a brief glimpse of Archer overhead. Shortly after that, Beauty appeared overhead – but only briefly. Then shortly after that, Callidora came from OCSR and flew towards TSR. Her flying looked more robust, more steady … more confident. With any new juvie, her landing lacked grace. It seems that the drag introduced by dropping the talons on landing interrupts the air stream upon which they depend. This change in aeronautics obviously disrupts their performance until they gain experience.

Once again all settle down, until …

Archer performed some flight lessons for Calli. She stayed on TSR while Archer soared and stooped and did fly-bys.

Archer and Beauty came back. We think Archer came in first, but pretty quickly someone said “Three falcons in the air”. Every one scanned around and we all confirmed that A & B & C were on the north side of TSR and in flight.

The important thing is that they were flying together.

The first maneuver was an aerial circle by the three. They performed three or four loops of the circle. The flying was tight enough that it could be said that no one was in the lead.

From the circle they broke off so that Callidora was flying solo with Archer and Beauty introducing her to talon tag. It was amazing to see the parents come in to their daughter, approach and just delicately enough show Calli how to stop flight, perform the tag and regain aeronautical control. Beauty and Archer each took turns (at least two apiece) before breaking off the schooling lesson.

Callidora returned to TSR (NW west). A & B disappeared, but later Beauty came in with food which she put down by Calli. Callidora raced to the food and Beauty took off again.

I may have forgotten some of the details but it was a fantastic 10 minutes of activity from the family.