It was a gorgeous day yesterday.  By the time I arrived downtown at 11 am, Dana had already seen the Tiercel on the Powers Bldg.  We called Lisa McK to take a look at the cameras to see if they had caught him.  She had also seen them both sitting on the communication tower.

When I arrived, Mariah was up inside the elevator shaft and the Tiercel was on the top I-Beam of old Changing Scene’s Restaurant (OCSR).  They both took off and we were unable to find them.  So, we joined Dan S, Lisa McK, and Jim P on the pedestrian bridge.

Around 12:30 pm, Mariah flew in with food and landed on the north end of the Cross Rds Bldg.  Dana, Lisa and I drove over to the Andrews St. Bridge for a closer look.  Dana and I walked up to the building, while Lisa remained in her car.  She couldn’t stay for too long.

While Dana and I were photographing the fair Mariah, I heard the whinny call of the Tiercel as he flew in from the downtown area.  This little guy is very loud and well, whinny.  🙂

He attempted to land next to Mariah, but she wouldn’t let him, ee-chupping at him.  The Tiercel flew back to the OCSR and landed on top of the building above the elevator shaft.  He continued to cry while watching Mariah.  I have no idea if he is truly begging or if this is just his way of vocalizing.  Very different from Kaver.

After about a 1/2 hour, the Tiercel stooped off of the OCSR and chased a Coopers Hawk off to the west.  Mariah just watched for a moment and then continued to eat.  The Tiercel did not return.

When she was finished eating, Mariah took off heading towards the Kodak Tower.  She landed on the SE corner of the launchpad.  She then flew back to the communication tower.

Dana and I moved up to the Sisters City Garage.  Mariah flew off of the communication tower ee-chupping as she passed over heading towards the Cross Rds Bldg, where I believe the Tiercel was trying to sneak a bite of her leftovers.

She chased him off and he landed on the top I-Beam of OCSR, while she settled on the Cross Rds Bldg. and continued her meal.  I do believe that it was Mariah that reclaimed her meal, but without a scope, I can’t be 100% sure.

This is where I left them at 2:30 pm.  Dana remained for a little longer.

Kaver is due in next week.

Carol P.

The Watchers have spotted a Tiercel (male Peregrine Falcon) hanging out in Rochester over the past week.  At first we thought Kaver had returned earlier than normal.  But, Dana was able to get some really nice take-off shots on Monday and they show that he is a banded bird, so not Kaver.

Mariah has not been aggressive with this male, but neither has she been totally accepting.  On Monday, she and the Tiercel were sitting on the top I-Beam of the Old Changing Scenes Restaurant.  They were vocalizing to each other, but it sounded more like a begging cry from the male.  Could this be a young Tiercel looking for food?  He flew up into the elevator shaft and Mariah quickly chased him out.  Hmmm, maybe he found her secret cache of leftovers.

Kaver usually arrives in Rochester during the first week of March.  We’ll keep Watching.

Carol P.

I got a nice look at Mariah on the Kodak tower today, and I was able to hear and observe what might have been courtship behavior between her and a male falcon.  Has Kaver returned as well?  The jury’s still out, but you can read more about it and view pictures here:

http://marchlords.com/birdblog/2009/02/peregrine-courting-post-valentine.html

Jim Pisello

Mariah has returned to Rochester and our Winter visitors seem to have moved on.  Check out this KGallery Album which contains pictures from today’s Watch.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=171aim5l.bj31vnr5&x=1&y=f0u2lw&localeid=en_US

or tinyurl:

http://tinyurl.com/dem3c4

Enjoy!
Carol P.

When I arrived downtown on Friday (1/23/09) at 12:30 am, I was greeted by fellow Watchers Dan and Lisa McK.  They excitedly told me that the pair had bathed in the icy water of the Genesee River just in front of the High Falls. 

Dan told me the female had flown down first and remained in the water for close to 45 minutes.  The male joined her and after his bath, flew up to the corner of Jimmy Macs, at the west end of the pedestrian bridge.  The female flew up to the catwalk on the High Falls Stack and then to the Kodak Tower just as I was arriving.

I was sorry to hear that the I had missed this icy bathing episode.  But, I did get down to Jimmy Macs to visit with the male.  He was quite low and didn’t mind that we were taking pictures of his post bathing activity.  Here is a KGallery Album with pictures from that day.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=171aim5l.6ato7761&x=0&y=463mk3&localeid=en_US

or tinyurl:

http://tinyurl.com/bqf9l6

Enjoy!

Carol P.

No sightings of Mariah and Kaver yet.  But, the Winter visitors are keeping the Watchers busy.  They’ve been all over downtown Rochester and the Kodak Tower still seems to be a favorite perch for this pair.

On Monday, January 12th, Dana and I spotted both the male and the female sitting on top of the Powers Building, where the nest box from Kodak Tower had been relocated to.  The male was finishing the meal that the female had brought in earlier.

No ID on the female yet.  We keep trying, but she’s very elusive.

Carol P. 

So sorry that I haven’t been posting any reports lately.  Mariah and Kaver have not been seen for the past month.  Kaver usually leaves around that time and returns in the Spring.  Mariah is usually seen during the Winter, but sometimes she leaves.  An example would be in 2006, when she was injured.

This Winter the Watchers have a new pair to Watch.  An unbanded male and a banded female (green/black).  We have been working really hard at getting a positive ID on the female, but it’s hard.  She rarely comes low enough for us to get a good look at her bands.  We’ll keep trying.

The Watchers will continue to keep an eye on things and I’ll report if there are any changes.

This new pair is definitely a bonded pair.  They hang out on many of the same buildings that M&K did, including the Kodak Tower.  They’ve also been seen on the Powers Building and the Times Square Building, where nest boxes are now located.

The Watchers will keep Watching!  Happy Holidays everyone!

Carol P.

Just a quick update.  There have been daily sightings of Mariah around the city, but not as many of Kaver.

Mariah has been spending alot of her afternoons enjoying the mild Fall days on the gorge wall near the High Falls.  She is quite beautiful in that natural setting.

The Watchers will be keeping a close eye on the new nest box location at the Powers Building.  We’re all hoping to see her checking it out.

Carol P.

Lots and lots of Watchers out this week:  Carol P, Jeanne, Lisa McK, Dana, Larry O, Kathy O, Jill C, Susan C, Kelly, Sue(Bess), Jim P and Dan S.  Thanks everyone!

Mariah and Kaver continue to be spotted together on all of the downtown buildings in Rochester, NY, including the Kodak Tower.  We also had a couple reports of a 3rd Falcon!  We’re not sure if this is an adult or possibly one of the juvies returning to the city.  If it is a juvie, Mariah and Kaver would probably chase him/her away.

So whether it’s a juvie or a migrating Falcon just passing through, the Watchers will keep watching.

Carol P.

Watchers this week included:

Carol P, Larry O, Lisa McK, Jeanne, Jill C, Kathy O,  Joyce, Carla P, Dawn and Dan S.

Daily sightings of Mariah and Kaver are being reported by the Watchers in all the regular places, including a sighting by Lisa McK of either Mariah or Kaver on the playpen railing in front of where the nest box used to be on the Kodak Tower.  On Thursday, 9/17, we spotted Mariah and Kaver sitting side by side (no more than a couple of feet apart) on the lower building of Midtown Plaza.

We also had the first report of Pair-Bonding behavior by Larry O on Saturday, 9/20/08:

“Well, what I saw next was – to me – definite courting, pair-bonding.
Kaver put on a show for Mariah who was still on the Xerox sloping
cornice. Kaver would fly over the Xerox roof from east to west. This
put him out of sight of Mariah on the west-side of Xerox. From there
and when over Clinton, he began stoops with beautiful right-turns and
bank as he cleared the west face and became visible to Mariah above.
He would start a climb and execute another sharp, right-bank when he
cleared the north face, climbing back towards the roof.

Over and over he put on a show for Mariah. Seeking a better sight,
Curro and I moved, and during this, Mariah also took to the air for
talon tag with Kaver.

When Kaver disappeared behind B&L, we moved to the B&L plaza to find
him, but did not. We returned to HQ to find Mariah still on Xerox. One
more look at the OCS elevator shaft, but no sight of Kaver.

I’d say this is a good sign for 2009!”

This is very good news indeed!  Thanks Larry!

Carol P.