By Rochester Falconwatcher Joyce

Many of the watchers have been checking the Hawkeye Plant (HE) in Rochester since a different pair of falcons were sighted there. Dana and MAK confirmed the male is unbanded, and the female is from the midwest because she has a purple USFW band on her right leg and a black over red band on her left leg.

It was mid-afternoon on Oct 21st with gray skies and periodic rain drops. I began watching the female peregrine on the north side of the building. She was 2 levels down from the roof on a corner ledge. There was no sign of the male. I checked Seneca Towers (ST) to be sure it wasn’t Billie. I brought out my chair and waited patiently for a glimpse of a band. While she was preening, I confirmed the purple band. It began to rain and she turned around. She stretched her leg, but her feathers still covered the band. FINALLY…I caught a clear photo of the left leg band 54 over V, black over red as she turned back around.

Welcome to Rochester…BUCKEE from Racine, Wisonsin. She is 2 years old (hatched in 2013). Racine, WI is on the west shore of Lake Michigan and is one degree difference in latitude from Rochester NY. Falconwatcher Pat C shared the following report with details and photos. See Page 7. WISCONSIN FALCONWATCH 2013 NESTING SEASON REPORT

Notice the distinct markings on the front of Buckee. The spot markings on the chest, also extend into the white auricular patch behind the malar stripe (mustache). She still has some brown subadult feathers.

CLICK ON PHOTOS for FULL RESOLUTION of CLOSE-UPS

By falconwatcher Joyce

There have been several attempts to try and ID the female peregrine at Kodak Park (KP) by many Rochester watchers, including Kodak employees. Last September, our KP falcon was very happy to show us her purple band (a sign that she was from the Midwest), but we couldn’t distinguish anything on the black/red bi-colored band. Lady Pefa eluded us many times, and the weather was not cooperative when we did find her. As we went through the fall and into winter, it was obvious that Lady Pefa wasn’t migrating, and stayed to claim the Kodak power plant and stacks as her territory.

New Years Day was a fun celebration with all the Rochester watchers downtown, in spite of the rain. As we all said our farewells, I told Carol P that I would probably be heading out to KP later. I dawdled downtown looking for Beauty and her friend. Then I stopped for a bite to eat with Casey & Abby (canine falconwatchers). I even took the long way there, checking out Kodak Research area first. As I pulled into our KP parking area, I saw Carol’s car, and in the distance she was waving and pointing up. I saw a bird on the antenna, thinking a coop or red-tail. I looked through my binoculars – a peregrine! I wasn’t expecting that, and grabbed my stuff, and slowly walked to the other end of the parking lot, and like Carol, left my phone behind. I couldn’t believe it, the KP falcon on a building near us. Just as I got to where Carol was standing, her battery went dead. Carol said she had been with Lady Pefa for almost an hour, and I thought “Why didn’t I come straight here.” I continued with the picture taking as Carol went to get her scope, hoping for an opportunity to catch markings on the bi-colored band.

Lady Pefa was posing so nicely, but her right side was facing us, the side with the FWS purple band. There was no way to see the black/red band unless she moved. Then, she stretched! “Please, oh please, let us see your other leg.” I clicked away as she finally exposed her left leg for a few seconds. Then she resumed her perch. Lady Pefa lifted her left leg again, as if to say “Can you see it now?” When she placed it back on the pole, she lost her balance, then her grip, and it looked like she fell off the antenna. Lady Pefa flew to the east.

Here are 2 photos that have been enhanced and zoomed…

Well, do we have an ID? Close, but not 100%. After canvassing several watchers, the consensus was 7 ? on black, and H on red. Some voted for 73/N, and others 71/N. We consulted the Midwest Peregrine banding database and found information on seven female band numbers. Attached are the possibilities of Midwest peregrines with 7?/H. Possible Midwest Band ID In several of my pics, the second number looked distorted (possibly from light or pixels). Because it was very cloudy, I had to use a higher ISO and the pictures get grainy when enlarged. I investigated the markings in more detail, and enhanced my best photo. I saw a blurry vertical line for the second number, but it didn’t appear to have curves or width. Bands numbers/letters are centered over each other. I typed the 70’s numbers over N. The alignment that best matched is 71/H.

Take a look for yourself. Let us know what you think. We still need more evidence that one of these two Lucas County (Toledo) falcons is our gal. Rest assured we’ll be back there again this weekend with scopes and cameras to try again.

Kodak Park Peregrine Falcon – New Year’s Day
(Click on slideshow and watch like a movie at 1 sec. You can also click on the 1st photo and run through individually. If you want to see a larger picture you can click on the magnifying glass and zoom in.)

Enjoy,
Joyce