By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was a cool start with a temperature of 41 (F) 5 (C) and sunshine

Click on the pics to see the full version

No falcons seen at Seneca Towers or Hawkeye either before or after my downtown watch. As I arrived just before 7am I spotted a falcon on the ledge above the nest box from the Broad St. bridge (BSB). It stooped down as I was driving toward Times Square (TSB) and I lost it. After checking around the area surrounding the hole I went back up to the BSB where I saw Beauty flying above Xerox.

I taped her as she was flying around the east side above Xerox, Bausch & Lomb and HSBC from Woodbury Blvd. After about 5-10 minutes she slipped back behind Xerox to the northeast where I lost sight of her. 10 minutes later I spotted the Beautyful one under the northeast wing of TSB-I went to Basin St. in the hole next to the Wilder building to watch.

Beauty kept an eye out for a prey bird to show itself and she found one below as she turned and zeroed in on a little bird on the ledge between the northeast and southeast wings one level above the nest box. She flew down and disappeared for a couple minutes and I thought she had left without me seeing-then suddenly reappeared to the front of the ledge and started plucking feathers.

Looking at my small camera screen I thought she had cached food because it was so small but when I got home and looked at the video on my computer screen, I could see that it was a fresh kill. So, I believe she caught it on the back of that ledge.

She finished up her meager meal filling the right side of her crop then did a whole lot of feaking.

I left for coffee and when I returned at 8:05am Beauty was gone-I knew she would be, that’s just how it goes sometimes. lol

5 minutes later I found Dot.Ca on the north side ledge of the OCSR elevator shaft and Beauty across from him on the south side ledge from across the river near the Radisson Hotel. I don’t know how happy he was that Beauty and I found him in his man cave-he looked to be in the ready to fly away position as he looked at her, then seemingly at me. lol

I decided to leave them to it and head home, ending my watch at 9:15am all smiles knowing our downtown Rochester Peregrine pair were together and well! 🙂

Click on the links below to watch todays videos
http://youtu.be/-8SM8RrPwRU

http://youtu.be/KhYuTaR7hyk

http://youtu.be/dOh_SpS7bGk

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By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.

12:00 – 3:00 pm

It was a very cold and windy day with temps in the 30’s during my watch.  The only good thing was the bright sunshine and bright blue sky.  As long as you stayed inside your car, it was tolerable.

The BS location was my first stop.  Lots and lots of Canada Geese surrounded the building and a Coopers Hawk was on the hunt.  No falcons seen or heard while I was there.  When I was leaving, a truck passed me that had snow on it!

As I was passing the Blue Cross Arena, I saw a falcon fly up to the Wilder Building and land on top of the fire escape.  From Aqueduct St, aka “the hole”, I could see that it was Dot.ca.  I looked around the area for Beauty, but could not find her.

Dot.ca was busy preening and watching every bird that flew through the area.  It looked like he was going to take off and follow one of those birds, but then he’d settle back into a good preen.

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At 1:45 pm, Dot.ca took off heading east over the river.  As I was watching him, I saw Beauty drop out of the OCSR elevator shaft and follow him.  Well, there she was!  lol

I drove around but could not find any falcons.  At 2:00 pm, I ended my downtown watch.  On my way home, I checked out Hawkeye.  No falcons there.  Next came Seneca Tower (ST).  There was a falcon on the south end of the building above the windows.  It looked small, so I assumed it was 99 since I could see a silver band.  A larger falcon, Billie?, was on the east side railing.

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Both took off and soared gracefully together over the building.  It was a wonderful way to end my watch.  Oh, and I did check out Russell Station too.  No falcons seen there.  Goodnight!

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Windy and cold with a temperature of 36 (F) 2 (C) throughout my watch with partly cloudy skies

Click on the pics to see the full version

When I stepped out of Seneca Towers this morning the cold north wind smacked me in the face like a ton of bricks. I didn’t see Billie or 99 anywhere on the building and as I drove down St. Paul St. I spotted a large bird on the railing near the Hawkeye nest box. It turned out to be the Red-tail Hawk that occasionally perches there.

I continued on to downtown-when I was making my way to the back of the parking lot of The Inn on Broadway to check the east side I spotted another raptor. This time it was a Cooper’s Hawk on the Inn’s roof top antenna-it flew off to the west soon after I pulled over.

<Click it

As I made my way back to the Broad St. bridge (BSB) I spotted Dot.Ca (DC) under the southeast wing of the Times Square building (TSB). I drove down to the hole for a side view since he had his back to me.

DC flew off around 7:15am diving on a crow over by the Blue Cross Arena, coming up into view over the Philips building and back down out of view several times. When he didn’t surface again I left the hole for the BSB but didn’t see him around the area until I made a u-turn and noticed him up on the deck near the nest box. I drove down to get closer but he was gone the next time I looked up there. I went for a ride and when I returned to the Times Square area I spotted Beauty and DC on the Wilder building-she was on the green strip and he was on the fire escape 2 floors below her.

They would check each other out every once in a while to see that the other was still in its spot. They also checked me out when a homeless person dropped their bag of cans and bottles near where I was parked as it was quite loud.

They both spotted something up in the sky but I didn’t-of course, their eye sight is way better than mine.

I was checking pics on my camera when I saw a flash of white out of the corner of my eye fly east-it was DC and the Beautyful one took off right after him around 7:45am. The search was on again and it brought me right back to the hole where I found DC once again on the fire escape of the Wilder building-this time he was on the top railing just below the green strip.

You couldn’t help but notice his whiteness, so when Larry and his dog Harold pulled up next to me and he didn’t notice DC, I thought it was funny because he said something about Beauty up on the green strip, whom I missed fly in to land right above DC. lol Larry only stayed a couple minutes as he and Harold were going on a hike to check out  bridges along the Genesee River.

Beauty did some preening and DC kept an eye on the vicinity checking for prey birds to come out of hiding. They surely are a handsome couple with their contrasting colors.

How could we not fall in love with these wonderful creatures when they bring us such beauty and interest!?

I left our downtown pair of Peregrine Falcons to do their thing. I checked Hawkeye, the Medley Center in Irondequoit and Seneca Towers to no avail before ending my watch at 9:45am. Another watch spent with Beauty and DC making for many smiles to cross this watchers face! 🙂

Click on the links below to see a photo album and videos from todays watch
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AaN3DFm0ZMWqkDQ

http://youtu.be/T4JPyjhIwxA

http://youtu.be/Vt3z0B-PLj8

http://youtu.be/hHUGGh1Cqv0

http://youtu.be/Q61CdBYkeZI

http://youtu.be/k3WKz66y7g4

By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.

1:30 – 3:30 pm

It was a cold, dreary, rainy, raw day!  Brrrrr!  But that didn’t stop me from checking up on the the Rochester Falcons.

My first stop was the BS location, where Joyce had seen both a small juvie Peregrine Falcon and an adult Tiercel (male falcon) over the past week.  I circled the building a couple times, but had no luck seeing or hearing any falcons there.

My next stop was downtown Rochester, which was a zoo with the circus in town.  Lots of traffic around the Blue Cross Arena aka the Rochester War Memorial.  I was still able to get around ok, I just couldn’t park on the Broad St Bridge.

After looking around Xerox, the Times Square Bldg and all points in between, I finally found a falcon tucked into the OCSR elevator shaft on the south ledge.  I was not able to ID this bird or see if there was a second falcon up there.  From the Andrews St Bridge, I checked the north side of OCSR and the Frontier Communication Tower.  No falcons there.

Next, I drove over to the Kodak Tower, where I found Beauty on the south side arch ledge, directly above where the old M&K Kodak Nest Box used to be located.  She had her back to me and she was preening.

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I wanted to get a front view of her.  As I was driving around the  north side of the building, she took off and flew around the building.  I believe that she landed on the launch pad, but was unable to find her.  By this time it was starting to sleet, so I ended my watch after seeing both Beauty and Dot.ca.

On my way home, I checked out Hawkeye, ST, KP Research Labs and Russell Station.  I saw no falcons at any of those locations.  I’ll leave you with a picture of Lake Ontario which was quite turbulent, with white capped waves.

Remember to turn back your clocks an hour before going to bed tonight!

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was a cold 37 (F) 3 (C) degrees with a brisk wind and overcast dark conditions

You must click on my pics to see the full version

I left Seneca Towers around 7:30am and it was still pretty dark. Billie and 99 were not around as I left for downtown. Things didn’t lighten up much as I pulled over on the Broad St. bridge after a look around at the usual spots. I was facing the east when I spotted a tiny figure of a falcon (Beauty) on the southwest corner of Bausch & Lomb (B&L) that is called Archer’s corner. A second later I noticed wing flapping and the white front of another falcon (Dot.Ca) (DC) on another southwest corner to the right. I believe he had just landed. I drove to Court St. across from the Court St. garage to park and check them out-it was about 8:15am.

<Beauty<DC

They had their backs to me when I first pulled over but DC turned to his left facing Beauty soon after giving me a side view. Beauty flew east a few minutes later and DC turned around to face that direction. I thought he would fly off too after pooping but he stayed and after a couple minutes the Beautyful one returned and landed under the southwest elevator and Archer’s corner.

Around 8:31am DC flew west and Beauty followed right behind him. I too, flew that way toward the Broad St. bridge and drove around downtown looking for them. I found them some 25 minutes later back on the east side. From Woodbury Blvd. I spotted them on the south side of Xerox-Beauty was on the 4th column and DC was on the 6th column from the southeast corner, one column separating them.

<Click it

Beauty flew off to the east around 9:05am and returned soon after coming to rest on the 5th column right next to DC .

<Click it

They were facing each other when I left them at 9:15am in the rain thus ending my short gloomy watch.

I did however, leave with a smile as I tend to do after sharing space with our downtown Rochester Peregrine Falcons! 🙂

Click on the links below to see todays videos

http://youtu.be/ioJ6m8QK7S8

http://youtu.be/ot3OMDJqUy0

http://youtu.be/17_hOqMVJgc

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

Todays starting temperature was 42 (F) 5 (C) with overcast skies and a fine misty rain falling from that sky

The trick was on me today for this Halloween 2014 as I saw no falcons at Seneca Towers or Hawkeye either before or after my watch and no Dot.Ca (DC). Somebody forgot to tell them that you’re supposed to go trick or treating at night!

I was late getting downtown (around 8:30) as I had to give a friend of mine a ride. I stopped on State St. across from the High Falls parking garage to check the Frontier Communications Tower from the north as I often do when entering downtown from Lake Ave./State St. I could see a falcon on the northeast cube so I went to the City Hall parking lot on Fitzhugh St. to check it out. She had her back to me but turned her head enough so I could positively ID her as Beauty. She was eating something for the first few minutes.

When Beauty was done eating she did some feaking and turned around briefly so I could see the the front of her. I was taping her at that time so no pics.

I left to look around for DC to no avail so I returned to watch the Beautyful one some more. I went to the Open Mission parking behind to see the front of Beauty but the back lighting was bad, making for dark photos.

Joyce thought she might have had DC over at the Brighton site yesterday so I took a ride over there and came up empty. Once again, I returned to watch the back of Beauty on the FCT for awhile longer. It was getting late and I was ready to end my watch but I wanted to check the elevator shaft of OCSR one more time for DC from the Radisson Hotel at Bragdon Place. He wasn’t up there but I could see Beauty over on FCT very well from there.

I left for home at Seneca Towers, checking Hawkeye on the way but as I said at the beginning of this report Billie and 99 were not seen. I ended my watch at 11am smiling for my Halloween treat of having an all Beauty watch! 🙂

Only one video today-just click on the link below to view it. HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY!
http://youtu.be/3kXhNgzux_k

By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.

5:00 to 6:30 pm

It was 47 degrees (F) this evening.  Just before I left home, I received a tweet from Joyce that she had spotted an adult Peregrine Falcon at the BS location.  It was eating on the building.  According to Joyce it looked like it might be Dot.ca, but she needed to check her pictures later for a better look.  It would not surprise me at all that Dot.ca still visits this location.

I decided to head downtown to see if I could find both Beauty and Dot.ca.

From the Broad St Bridge I spotted a bird on top of the Mercury statue.  Definitely NOT a falcon.  lol

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Continuing my search, I found a falcon that I believe was Beauty on the south side of the Xerox Tower, 5th column in from the southeast corner.  She was facing southeast.

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At 5:52 pm, Joyce and Brian reported that Billie and 99 were at the ST location.

At 5:55 pm, Beauty took off and headed northwest towards the Times Square Bldg.  By the time I made my way back to the Broad St Bridge, she was nowhere in sight.  I drove over to the Radisson and looked up into the OCSR elevator shaft.  It was dark up there, but I could just make out a falcon moving around a bit on the north side ledge.  The south ledge was empty.

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I parked near the Radisson and waited to see if Dot.ca would join her.  He had not returned by 6:25 pm and I tweeted out that I was going to end my watch due to darkness.  Just as I was getting ready to leave, ee-chups echoed from inside the elevator shaft. It was too dark to see anything, but I have no doubt that Dot.ca had joined Beauty at their nighttime roost.  It was time for me to go.

Goodnight everyone!

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

The conditions were changeable today with sun and clouds and a starting temperature of  42 (F) 5 (C)

Click on the pics to see the full version

It wasn’t until 8:10am that I found a falcon this morning when I spotted Beauty on the southeast corner of the Kodak Office launchpad. She had her back to me and I tried a couple different spots before I found one on State St. where I could see the side of her and the sun was out by then as well.

She stayed there for 10 minutes mostly preening and then she pooped before flying east at 8:19am.

I took a ride thru Browns Race and saw a pretty planter with mums in it that were still looking bright and vibrant.

I spotted  the Beautyful one under the southeast wing of the Times Square building (TSB) from the Andrews St. bridge.

I drove down to Exchange Blvd. and  parked in front of the Blue Cross Arena (BCA) to observe. Beauty had her back to me for the most part but she did turn around long enough for one beautyful pic.

I watched Beauty for about half hour then I went to get coffee and when I got back she was gone. I drove around looking for her and Dot.Ca (DC) plus I checked out the river. Just before 9:30am I spotted beauty under the southeast wing again only this time she had food.

Since she was busy eating I thought I would look for DC on my way out of downtown and luckily he was on the southeast corner of the Kodak launchpad. I pulled over on State St. to watch him as I did Beauty earlier.

He was very actively watching over his kingdom. I shared space with him as he did some posing and preening.

DC stayed up there facing the sun which kept fading in and out behind the dark clouds that were moving in and at 10:10am he flew southeast and didn’t return.

I ended my watch at 10:40am when I got to Seneca Towers-nobody was there but I did see both Billie and 99 in the afternoon when I returned home from walking Bella. They were facing each other on the top window ledge on the south end of Seneca Towers, prompting me to smile for having seen all 4 Rochester Peregrine Falcons today! 🙂

Click on the links below to see todays videos
http://youtu.be/SE985P9pwg4

http://youtu.be/FkwHCmUpTig

http://youtu.be/jw1oBcdXzG4

http://youtu.be/OeJnjIYaMZs

http://youtu.be/6ByE_vNo0mc

http://youtu.be/HWpMHZ6fB8c

By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.

5:45 – 6:30 pm

It was much colder tonight than it was yesterday when we broke a record high temp with a 78 degree day.  Temps were in the 50’s (F) with dark clouds and a bit of light rain on and off.  My week day evening watches are getting shorter I’m afraid.

My route into downtown Rochester usually takes me by the Kodak Tower first.  I parked near Frontier Stadium and checked out the south and west side of the tall building.  There was a falcon on the west side of the launch pad and it looked like it had food. It took off and and flew around to the north side.  I could hear loud ee-chups and the falcon reappeared, landing on the southeast corner of the launch pad, then moving out of view.

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I headed over to the northeast side of the Kodak Tower where I was able to see the falcon on the northeast corner of the launch pad.  I do believe this was Dot.ca, due to the smaller size and very white chest.  While I was watching Dot.ca, Joyce and Brian reported that they had a falcon up inside the OCSR elevator shaft.  Probably Beauty.  Due to his behavior and vocalization, I really thought she might have been somewhere on the Kodak Tower.  Was there something else that had his attention?  I checked all sides of the Kodak Tower, but did not find anything in the low light.  Dot.ca remained on this corner looking north until 6:20 pm, when he took off and headed south towards downtown.  It was dark by then.  There were no further vocalizations after what I heard when I first arrived.

I’ll leave you with a few pics of the Kodak Tower and Dot.ca.  Goodnight all!

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By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

The morning was dark and overcast with a temperature of 51 (F) 10 (C)

Click on the pics to see the full version

I saw our Seneca Towers falcons for the first time in 4 days this morning. YAY When I first looked I saw 99 on the west side railing. I grabbed my camera and he was gone when I looked back up. He returned and a few minutes later Billie arrived landing on the railing to his left. They both feaked so I believe they had just eaten up on the roof. His crop was full-hers was not.

<99> <Bllie>

Billie and 99 hung out just a few minutes before flying southeast at 7:47am with Buffalo Billie leaving first followed by 99.

<Buffalo Billie<99

I left for downtown finding Beauty under the northeast wing and Dot.Ca (DC) above her on the northwest wing ring of Times Square (TSB).  I parked on Basin St. in the hole by the Wilder building to observe. They flew off  to the north a few minutes later.

I also went north to look for them and found DC on the northeast corner of the Frontier Communications Tower platform from State and Church St. I drove to the City Hall parking lot to check him out.

DC was just looking around for a few minutes then he flew west at 8:39am

I made my way back to the hole as I spotted Beauty on the base of Mercury with food. She was plucking away at the feathers.

Suddenly, she stopped eating-I heard vocalizing and in a blur, DC flew in, and as Beauty took off with her food, he tried to grab it from her.

He proceeded to follow her over to the Irving Place building where she came to rest on a chimney and DC landed on the peaked roof above her.

I watched them until 9:30am as Beauty ate and DC looked down at her in between watching the area.

I would have liked to stay to see if DC got any of the Beautyful one’s leftovers (I’m sure he did) but I had to be somewhere. I ended my watch smiling after seeing all 4 Rochester Peregrine Falcons! 🙂

Click on the links below to see todays videos
http://youtu.be/s4UbzPsUn1s

http://youtu.be/RBMdiE91ts4

http://youtu.be/3z51y7Mmay4

http://youtu.be/gTui4kmHUrI

http://youtu.be/Qk7t4vrIWuQ

http://youtu.be/GkWzJG5h7Zc