By Rochester falcon watcher MAK

I was awakened by the crash of thunder and the flash of lightening this morning. When I got downtown the rain was starting to let up and it was still pretty dark out. I found a falcon over on the northeast corner of HSBC but couldn’t ID it because it flew off seconds after I spotted it. I assumed it was Beauty. It was 20 minutes before I had another sighting having parked on the Andrews St. bridge. This time I was sure it was Beauty up on the top ibeam north corner of the OCSR building. She stayed there only a couple minutes before taking off when I wasn’t looking.

As I was about to pull away from the curb I spotted a falcon on the top arm of the Frontier Communications Tower. When I got over to city hall I saw that both Beauty and Archer were on the tower. She was on the 2nd arm down and he was directly above her on the top arm west side.

Click on the pic to see them

5 minutes later they both flew off, Archer first, then Beauty followed him going in the direction of  the Times Square building. I thought for sure they were going to the nestbox but they fooled me and went to the jail tower instead.

I spotted them some 15 minutes later from the Broad St. bridge over there and then drove to Troup St. for a closer and more personal viewing. You will have to go to my album on the link at the end of this report to view them together on the tower from that side  as the file is too big to include here. Here they are individually.

For the most part they ignored each other and preened and just looked around until Beauty took off quickly going after a pigeon,missing it and returned to the same spot again. Meanwhile, Archer watched the whole thing quite intently. I’m sure he was thinking…ahhh breakfast with no effort involved! lol

Again, click on the pic to see them.

20 minutes later they both flew off the jail tower with Archer leading the way. The Beautyful one returned landing on the 2nd arm down west side while Archer never did come back.

As time was winding down for my watch Beauty flew off when I wasn’t looking.  I waited to no avail for her to come back, so I went home for the day. For a few more pics go to the link below and I’ll catch ya later! 🙂

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By Rochester falcon watcher MAK

Ahh you never know what the day will bring! As I approached Plymouth Ave. off the ramp from 490 this morning I put down the drivers’ side window to check the FCT before going over to the Broad St. bridge. When I tried to put it back up it needed assistance by me pulling on it while pushing the button. Hmm I thought, what’s that all about? I continued on and parked on the bridge when I saw Archer up on the base of Mercury.

A few minutes later he flew off  and returned to  the same spot briefly and then half flew,half walked over in front of  Mercurys foot.

Archer then flew over to the jail tower landing on the top arm southeast side and quickly left there. It was at this time that I understood the trouble with the window…I tried to start the truck to go follow Archer and it wouldn’t fire up! Oh boy, thank goodness I have AAA! The last time it wouldn’t start I was on the Andrews St. bridge…what is it about bridges? Anyway I called and within 30 minutes someone was there checking it out. DEAD battery! And he could replace it on the spot! PERFECT!!! These days if you have a cell phone and a credit card you are golden! So as he switched out the batteries Debbie H stopped to say hi and when he was done I drove over to FCT to find the Beautyful one on her favorite perch under the platform.

Good lighting but bad angle so I drove to the city hall parking lot where I got a back view of her.

Not liking this either I went over to Plymouth Ave. parking across the street from the Open Door Mission for a better view but having lousy light.

Of course those of you who read my reports know that I will post just about ANY pic! lol  I soon had to depart and even though I had the little problem with the truck I still enjoyed seeing our fabulous Rochester Falcons. Enjoy your day and keep smiling! 🙂

By Rochester falcon watcher MAK

I got a bit of a late start this morning as I discovered I forgot my phone as I drove down the Broad St. bridge. After taking a quick look around I went home and retrieved it, returning to find no falcons for quite a while. Finally at about 6:35am I spotted Beauty on the east side railing of the FCT.

She flew off 5 minutes later heading west. I stayed for a few minutes to see if she would come back and then I went in search of! Some 25 minutes later as I was parked on the bridge I noticed pigeons scattering over the river and tried to decide if one of them was a falcon as they look very similar in the air sometimes. Sure enough the pigeons all disappeared and all that was left was a pefa flying over the bridge in front of me and then above the Blue Cross Arena and over to the nestbox. It landed next to the main cam and it looked like Beauty, before I could do anything she flew off again. Another 25 minutes passed before I noticed her up on the south side railing of the Crossroads building. She flew off to the north as I got one shot of her as she left.

DebbieH came by again on her way to work and stopped briefly to say hi. 15 minutes later I caught up with the Beautyful one on her favorite perch under the platform of the Frontier Communication Tower.

For that first pic I was parked on Fitzhugh St. in front of the sister cities parking garage  and then I went down to the city hall parking lot. At one point the Beautyful one flew off real fast and I thought she was going to the Times Square building so I drove over there. It was a bad decision for 20 minutes later I found her right back in the same spot as before on the FCT! Who knew falcons like to play cat and mouse games!?! lol

I sat there sharing space with Beauty for a few more minutes, thoroughly enjoying the time spent with her.

It was time to leave for a doctor appointment thus ending this falcon watchers wonderfully sunny morning watch! 🙂

By Rochester falcon watcher MAK

It was nice to go downtown this morning and not feel pressed for time as I have been for the last couple months during the work week. It was actually a little light out when I arrived on the Broad St. bridge. Having found no falcons in the area I continued on to the east side spotting Beauty up on the southeast corner of the HSBC building.

She promptly left after I snapped a pic and I assume went straight over to the Times Square building where she met up with Archer at the nestbox. This I found out an hour later when Donna texted me that they were both in there around 6:30am. It took me some time to get over there due to traffic and road crews and when I arrived they had both left. I found Archer up on the fire escape ladder of the Wilder building(one of his favorite perching spots).

He wasn’t there for long and I had to go on the hunt for him finding the little guy some 20 minutes later on the top ibeam northwest side of the OCSR building.

Parked on the Andrews St. bridge I watched him basking in the glorious sunshine coming up from the eastern sky. It was a chilly morning as the temperature was only 49 degrees when I left the house. Fall is definitely in the air. Archer flew off after 10 minutes and I went searching for the Beautyful one and him. I ended up on the Broad St. bridge and while I waited for a pefa to show up I watched the resident Great Blue Heron  make it’s way from under the Court St. bridge out over the flats and into the water.

I got back into the truck and as I was daydreaming I could feel someone looking at me. As I turned to the passenger side of the truck there was fellow falcon watcher DebbieH! We gave each other a hug and chit chatted to get caught up on things for we hadn’t seen each other since June! After she left I took a quick ride around town without any more sightings of Beauty or Archer. Have a great day everyone and keep smiling! 🙂

By Rochester falcon watcher MAK

After making the usual rounds I ended up on the Broad St. bridge. I had my first sighting at about 6:20am when I spotted a falcon on the roof of the OCSR building.

I’m not sure who it was but while I drove down to Aqueduct St. for a better view it flew off. Then I saw Archer on the top ibeam southwest side of the OCSR building as Beauty flew through from the west right in front of me past Archer and out over the river out of view. She was whining  as she went by. 5 minutes later she  landed on the green strip of the Wilder building kakking and then Archer flew over and landed on the Wilder fire escape ladder.

Click on this pic to see Beauty and Archer

Archer flew to the west end of the green strip and landed briefly before flying over to and landing closer to the Beautyful one about 5-6ft. away on the green strip.

Again click on pic to view them

She appeared to be plucking feathers out of her chest but it became apparent that she had prey that she was preparing and trying to hide from Archer. She was whining and he was echupping! Beauty suddenly flew off with her catch in her talons and Archer followed right behind. I found them some minutes later over on the FCT. She was on the platform eating and he was close by  watching her intently. He flew off and circled a couple times coming to land on the bottom arm of the tower and then flew down to the platform railing above her.

Beauty had her share and flew off while Archer moved in to eat what was left. She came back and landed a foot or two away from him on the platform and as he ate she watched. Beauty then left the tower flying southeast. Archer followed suit after finishing his snack a few minutes later and I was unable to locate either one again thus ending my watch. For a few extra pics I have included the link of an album and video for your viewing pleasure  at the bottom of this report.

Again I would like to extend my wish for everyone affected by hurricane Irene a safe and mostly uneventful passage. I hope I have given you a small distraction from your plight today. Stay safe and keep smiling!  🙂

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G3v5kHdijI

By Rochester falcon watcher MAK

Arriving downtown around 5:50am I had to maneuver through road crews at more than one intersection. Slowly but surely they are paving the way from Main and Broad streets down to the Broad St. bridge. Having found no falcons in the Times Square area I drove through to the east side. At one point I saw one on the south side railing  of  HSBC but when I drove to a better vantage point it was gone. Making my way back I went over by the FCT and saw nothing. Going back to, and parking on the Broad St. bridge  I waited a couple minutes and looking around thought I might get skunked on my last short watch.  With just  7  minutes left before I had to leave there she was…the Beautyful one over on the Frontier Communications Tower 2nd arm on the south side. Woohoo! I sped over to the city hall parking lot tweeted it out and took a few pics.

I then packed up and left for home. Tomorrow I will be leaving early to go to the New York State fair after a 10-15 year hiatus (I’m very excited) so I won’t be going on a falcon watch.

I’d like to say to all the people who will be affected by Hurricane Irene this weekend to stay safe and keep smiling! 🙂

By Rochester falcon watcher MAK

Ok folks, as the sun doesn’t rise now until about 10 minutes after I have to leave downtown for home, pics are of very poor quality. Unfortunately it was too dark out to ID who was who when I first spotted both Beauty and Archer on the north side of the HSBC  building. The pic is so dark and blurry you couldn’t even tell they were birds up there but here it is anyway!  lol

I know you’re saying “seriously MAK”!?!  HA!HA! This watch WAS a bit of a joke for I drove around in circles trying to find a place to park where I could view our falcon pair unobstructed by buildings and out of the way of the many road crews on the east side. I even drove the wrong way down a one way street for the cause! (Joyce will be proud of me for this!)  So one of them flew off while I was behind the Columbus building. At the time I thought it was Archer and tweeted it out as such, but after tweaking the photo in Picassa I think Beauty left and Archer remained on HSBC based on size and a faint white spot on the right wing.

Beauty or Archer

It quickly became time to call it a watch and head for home. So there you have it people… the lamest report and pics I’ve EVER posted!  I DO have fun all by myself  teehee!!! Keep smiling!  🙂

By Rochester falcon watcher MAK

For the second day in a row I found Beauty on the HSBC building. Today she was on the northwest corner.

It was with just about 5 minutes left of my watch that I found the Beautyful one. I barely had time to take one pic and as I was tweeting out her location she departed! I thought she might have gone over to the Times Square building to visit her scrape. So as I drove over to the Broad St. bridge I pulled  to the side to take a quick look around. No sightings so I continued on to make my way home. Now you might ask… MAK why do you get up so early and drive downtown in the dark  just for about a half hour of searching to see a falcon for a few minutes!?! Well, ask anybody that has ever seen one of these captivating creatures live and in person and they’ll probably tell you the same thing I’m about to…they get into your heart and soul and compel you to keep going back for more!  I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to observe them for however long to do so. It might just change your life as it has mine!!!  🙂

By Rochester falcon watcher MAK

Timing is everything…

I’ve been leaving later and later for my morning watch as the sun takes it’s sweet time waking up (6:25am today). Darkness surrounds me for the most part but the city lights help in spotting Peregrine Falcons if they aren’t hiding. Yesterday I didn’t find Beauty until 6:05am, she was on the jail tower top arm west side when I did.

I shared space with her over on Troup St. until she flew off some 15 minutes later and then I had to leave for home.

This morning I arrived downtown around 5:45am I checked out the nestbox,Mercury,OCSR,the Wilder building and the jail tower from the Broad St. bridge. With no falcons to be found I continued on to the east side  and then to city hall to check the Frontier Communications Tower. Still no sightings and it was getting late, I thought I might be out of luck on this day. I drove back to check the Times Square area and after seeing nothing, decided to give it one more shot on the east side to check out HSBC. Lo and behold Beauty was on the northeast corner!

The Beautyful one flew off  heading north after only a few moments but I was thankful to have seen her at all before I left for home. Now here’s where the timing part comes in…I found out when I got home that she had been at the nestbox arriving right after I had driven through the first time! While I was gallivanting around the city she perched next to the main camera having pulled a fast one on MAK again!  Teehee!

Another example of good timing, with the sun rising so late I have been torn about even going out in the morning for much longer.   Sue came home yesterday to announce starting next week she will be starting her split shift at work going in at noon. Yes…I won’t have to get the truck back by 6:30am anymore and will be able to stay out much longer! Have a great day and don’t forget to smile! 🙂

By Rochester Falcon Watcher – Carol P
It was a beautiful evening. Cooler than it had been in awhile with a stunning blue sky. After all the rain we had yesterday, I had to get out and check on Archer, Beauty & Unity. Here’s an album with some pictures and my report from tonite. No sign on needed.

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Enjoy!