Rfalconcam Forum

Sharing news posted by Kimmarie in Buffalo on Feb 24 at  http://www.falconsandfriends.com/.  As DEC noted in the below letter, there are plenty of opportunities to falcon watch in Western New York.

News regarding the upcoming Peregrine Falcon nesting season at the Statler

The future of the Statler Building is uncertain right now. Efforts to purchase the Statler have fallen through and the building has been “moth balled”. The Peregrine nest is still there, but there will be no web camera this season. With all of this in mind, I received the following via email from Connie Adams, Sr. Field Wildlife Biologist for the DEC. She has asked me to share this information with all of you:

"KimMarie,

Peregrines will be nesting before you know it, and I wanted to let you know what was up with the situation at the Statler, since you have always been so active and concerned about that particular nest. I assume you know the Statler is no longer operational, and this weekend it was boarded up. About a month ago, Audubon removed its computer and monitor, so there will be no webcam there for the forseeable future, which is a great loss. However, that means that any observations made by peregrine watchers will be that much more valuable. I would like to get an intern watching this, and the other 5 peregrine nests this spring and summer, since right now, regular observation through scope, binoculars or camera will be the only way we know what is going on at these nests.

We have been in contact with the building trustee, Morris Horwitz, and the building manager, John Gingher. In the event a peregrine falcon chick were to end up on the ground, as they have so many times in the past, the person who found it would be advised to contact us, and we would then contact Mr. Horwitz, who would contact Mr. Gingher, and then we could take it the long walk up the 18 stories back to its nest box. However, the other option, after hours or on the weekend would be to contact the Erie County SPCA Wildlife Unit. They would hold the chick until we would be able to return it to the nest box.

I thought you might want to share this information with your friends who faithfully watch the birds. We will have 4 other nest boxes, one each on the North and South Grand Is. Bridges, one at UB at the MacKay tower, and one at the Central Terminal. The 5th nest is on the US side of the gorge, right at Niagara Falls on Goat Island. As I said, none of these sites have cams on them, yet, though I believe there may one day be one at UB, CT and maybe even the Grand Island bridge. However not this year, as far as I know. The cam would have had to be in place by March 1st, and no one has contacted me about something like this.

Just thought I would let you know what was going on with the Statler.

Connie"

It will be difficult to know exactly when the young falcons will fledge, if in fact the nest produces eyases this year.  All we can do is use years past for a general guide.

I’ll post information if or when I receive it.

Thanks for posting this Joyce and please thank KimMarie for forwarding it.  It will be very important to keep an eye on this nestsite now that there will no longer be cameras.  Do you know if there are Falcons currently at this site?

why were the cameras removed?

My guess is the building is closed so there is no power.

There was discussion of tearing the building down, so the cameras may have been removed prior to the sale of the building (which ultimately failed).  The images displayed on their webcam were very poor, and the cameras frequently shut down.  Don't know if was the camera equipment or connection within the building. The Statler is now abandoned and no one is allowed access. 

Last year I met up with Kimmarie and Irina for a Buffalo falcon watch reunion. We went into the Statler and asked the guard if we could to use the facilities.  I had never been beyond the main hallway downstairs.  We went up to the second floor.  The old wood work and chandeliers were gorgeous.  I can just imagine how beautiful a hotel it was in its day.

~Joyce

That's a shame...too bad it can't be restored. Hope the falcons, if they come back, will be OK.  This is very sad.  :(

There is so much falcon activity in Buffalo this March, 2010!


UB Peregrines, Main & Winspear at MacKay Tower
2009 - 4 fledged
UB has taken on the responsibility of providing a cam for this nestbox, occupied by BB and Smoky.  They installed the high-def cam Fri Mar 18th and will be connecting it to a UB website.  I'll post the url soon.  BB stayed calm on her perch during the cam installation.   Yesterday and today, the birds were alternately perching, flying in circles around their tower and ee-chupping.

Photos and more at ~Peregrine Place~  http://pefas.blogspot.com/

Central Terminal
2009 - pair was practicing for this year :)
The DEC installed a nestbox at this site, for Stash and Stella, the pair who claimed the tower last year, though she was still a sub-adult.  CT is essentially unoccupied though volunteers for a restoration foundation are doing work on the main building in hopes of reviving it.  This building does not yet have internet service so no cam.  Yet.  :)

Statler Building
2009 - fledged 3
Falcon is seen on nestbox perch. 
Note: the Statler is bankrupt; attempts to sell it have failed; the lower floor is boarded up; no on has access.  BAS has removed their equipment.  DEC will have to gather information by watching from another building, and will not even have access for banding.  It is unknown whether the DEC will be able to return an eyass to the 18th floor nest in an emergency.  Sad case.

Grain Elevators
Connie Adams, DEC, has reliable sighting of a new pair at one of the many grain elevators. 

South Grand Island Bridge
2009 - 1 of 3 rescued and hopefully fledged
New pair nested in bridgework 2009, and was seen today doing aerial displays near the bridge!
Nestbox may be installed this year or next

North Grand Island Bridge
2009 - 3 counted as fledged

Niagara Gorge
2009 - I think 3 fledged

I hope all is well this year for Buffalo and Rochester too! 

Thanks so much Sage for the Buffalo update.  Lots of activity there!   :thumbsup:

I hope a Tiercel finds his way into Rochester soon.  Beauty is definitely ready! and so are the Watchers!

WOW- 7 pairs in the Buffalo area. There sure has been an increase in PEFA nestsites in the last 3 years.  Wish we could have more than one pair in Rochester.  It's going to be a challenge for the Rochester watchers this year.  We've never had to maneuver our watches around downtown buildings.

With everything goin' on in the Buffalo/Niagara area, keep an eye out for a female peregrine with a unique 3-stripe band on the right foot: BLUE-YELLOW-BLUE  (over the silver USFW band). 

That's our queen MARIAH.  She visited with us in October and that's the last we have seen her.  She's kept her distance from downtown Rochester since her rehab last year. We are hoping she is in retirement and enjoying her freedom, or has found a new mate and is happy somewhere.

Appreciate your keeping us up-to-date.
~Joyce

Joyce, I thought Mariah was seen in Rochester after rehab release?  Are both b/y/b and usfw bands on same leg?

 

Here's a pic of her band which covers the USFW band.

Yes you are correct, we saw her north of the city 5 months after her release, and that was in October 2009.  She likely migrated and may have moved on, but she did not return to Rochester this spring that we know of.

Yes her striped band is over the USFW band on the same leg.  Mariah was never banded, and when she was captured, DEC banded her with the USFW band only.  They added the colored band so the watchers could track her if she came back into the area.  And, it worked.  That's how we confirmed it was her last October.

and she only has the USFW band.  The other leg is unbanded.  Mike Allen was very considerate when he place such distinctive colored tape on Mariah's USFW band.  He called it her racing stripes!  lol  It made it very easy for us to positively ID her at the Medley Ctr back in October.

I still wish diamonds were part of the mix, but I guess Blue for the Sky, Yellow for the Sun, and Blue for the Water is a perfect band for our Queen and her merry band of swimming falcons!

being tape will her stripes come off? If so how long do they last?  If it comes off she should of gotten diamonds.

I was wondering the same thing, BC.   

Yes, I've heard the colored tape does eventually disappear.

Buffalo Mystery!  It has been found that the male at the nestbox with BB is banded, and Smoky was not banded!   ???

 :eeeeek: Oh no! Keep us posted.

~Joyce

A missing mate at UB and a third bird at Central Terminal!   :o
Pix and details on blog

BB laid her first egg for 2010 last night!  Pix on blog

  @ Central Terminal

  First egg at UB! 

I don't know if there are any eggs yet at any of the other Buffalo nestsites, but I hope they are all staying warm because the temps tonight and tomorrow will be in the 20s!   :surprise:

Great pics. I heard snow is in the forecast!! 

Buffalo Central Terminal Falcons - Noon Watch 3-24-10
From Rochester Falcon Watcher ~Joyce

I am not addicted!  After I stopped in downtown Rochester for a mid-morning falcon fix on Wed. 3/24, I headed off to work in Orchard Park.  I decided to take another quick detour and stopped by the Buffalo Central Terminal.

Here are a few shots of the falcons at Central Terminal Tower.  The tiercel has a band on his left leg.

http://tinyurl.com/yjb55tl

So glad you got those great shots, Joyce!  It's a great place for the nest.  Shooting into the afternoon sun can be blinding! 

BB's new mate has been ID'd as "Yankee", banded in Niagara Gorge, 2008!

Pic of another new pefa at grain elevators posted @ ~Peregrine Place~ (http://pefas.blogspot.com/)

Thanks for update on "Yankee".

I can't believe the close proximity of the three nest sites.  Statler, Central Terminal, and Tifft-Fuhrmann.  If the pair at the grain elevator are establishing a nest site, then the three territories might overlap.   On the map, they form a triangle. Geesh, 7 pairs in the Buffalo area, and we only have 1 pair in Rochester.



 

It's lonely at the top.

You're welcome Joyce!  The nest sites do seem close but when you consider the grain elevator pefas (new pix on blog) have the waterfront with ducks and Tifft Nature Preserve across the street, I'm sure it will be fine.

The three Statler eyasses  banded in 2009 were free of lice (!) indicating the parents didn't feed them from readily available pigeon inventory downtown, but instead must have done most of their grocery shopping at Tifft for nice sweet songbirds.  :) 

BB and Yankee now have two eggs and a pet rock.  :)


 

  Grain Elevator pefa

Great pic Sage...thanks.

We dodged the snow bullet, Donna, but it got c-o-l-d!

BB now has a third egg, and her pet rock   :o

OMG!  It's Orville's Big Brother!  And is that a Big Sister I see too?  These peregrines are too funny  :cool-045:

YAY three - keeping up with Rhea Mae (2006) in Toronto.  You know Mariah and Kaver had a pet rock "Orville" at Kodak Tower.  It was handed down to Mariah's grandson Archer to carry on the legacy at Times Square.  Orville is is in the Nestbox waiting for Beauty to lay eggs.

Why not create a poll to name BB's pet rock?

Wow Sage 3 eggs, is this so far? No snow...OK...cold... fergetit!. Congrats!! Love the pet rocks too!

CPF Postmaster Reports:

We have received good news indeed from Connie at the DEC in Buffalo New York that an adult male peregrine has been identified by his Black 42 over Black Y. We have been able to confirm that the peregrine was produced in 2008 at Niagara Falls Canada in the old Ontario Power Generaton plant in the gorge at Niagara falls. Yankee wa he was named was actually named by Connie herself as she attended the banding that year of the Niagara Falls hatchlings. “Yankee” as he was named, was banded on June 10th / 2008 at approx. 22 days old, weighing 575 grams.
Attached is a good photo of Yankee and Connie’s report:
Here’s a photo of him sitting on his first egg. He is at the University of Buffalo, mated with a banded female “BB” — she was there last year, for her first time, with an unbanded male we named Smokey. They established a territory on the Mackay Tower at the UB Operations plant (this is really a smoke tower with a glorified and fancy exterior which provided lots of ledges. She established herself with Smokey in July 08…they maintained that territory all that summer and fall and in January 09, UB installed a nest box under DEC advisement. Smokey and BB raised their chicks, 3 males and 1 female, all successfully, and maintained the territory again, all through fall and winter. However, when UB installed the nest cam on Friday the 19th, we noticed the male was banded. Same Female, BB, but now a banded male. So, that is his story. You are looking at a recent picture of him snagged from the cam, on his first egg, which was laid yesterday the 25th. We don’t know what happened to SMokey.

DRAMA in BUFFALO - One lost egg at UB

Sage reported on her blog  http://pefas.blogspot.com/ ...

"During the evening, there was a fight with a third Peregrine at the UB nestbox and sadly, an egg was lost. I can't help but wonder if the third bird could have been Smoky trying to regain his nest, and I don't know yet which male is at the nest today. Another question is whether incubation will be resumed. I'll post more info as it become available.


Also of note, there was a third bird at CT on 3/24, and another such incident at the north GI bridge recently. Smoky may still be here trying to get a nest site. Stay tuned..."

Comment - BB may not have started incubating yet.  Her eggs were laid on 3/24, 26, & 29.  She may have been getting ready to lay a 4th egg.  Let's hope the two remaining eggs do not get abandoned.  If it is Smoky, tell him there is a female across the lake looking for a mate!

Joyce

Oh I don't like these fights....Bad time of year. Poor little egg. Gulf Tower also....so very very sad for those 2 eggs.

UB all is well now; birds are okay; BB replaced lost egg and they are both incubating  three eggs and pet rock

~UB Pefacam~ (http://www.buffalo.edu/webcam/falconcam.html)

More Buffalo news at blog where you will always find link to the UB cam directly under my header!

Thanks sage, glad all the drama has stopped and BB laid a new egg. Hoping all goes well for you all.

I thought Buffalo's Rochester friends would like to see this shot taken by a DEC tech!
 

And can you see the pet rock peeking out ing the UB nest? 

4 eggs!  BB is taking after Rochester's Mariah.  It would have been 5 if one hadn't been broken in the battle.

Whoops!  I forgot to mention pic #1 is the current Statler nest with four eggs. 

Pic #2 Is a screencap from UB with three eggs.  It would have been four had one not been smashed.

I should have recognized that location.  Is there a pet rock at that nest too? At least DEC can check on the falcons even though the Statler is closed up.  Buffalo is definitely furthering the species with lots of eggs.  DEC is going to have their hands full this year.  If you know any egg numbers from the other Buffalo/Niagara sites, let us know.  

I think we'll have to wait to hear or see babies at the grain elevator site before we know.  I was there last Thursday at lunch and thought it was going to be a falconless watch.  As I was going back to my car, both flew over the top of the building, then returned sunny side where the barges are (south side?).  Both flew up to a specific location.  I could see the tail feathers hanging over the edge.  It looked as if one falcon was lying flat.  I suspect it was the female.  I saw a second set of tail feathers, but they disappeared quickly.

~Joyce

No pet rock at the Statler as far as I know!  It was quite a big deal for Connie to get permission and a bldg mgr to accompany the tech.  As far as I know these chicks won't get banded but maybe that will change.

Wasn't it thrilling to see the new pair at the grain elevators?   :happy:

Wish we could find out who they are.  My camera didn't catch anything (too blurry in flight), and no leg shots high up on the building.

Yes, it's quite a stretch for our available optics too.  Do you watch from HERE (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tifft+and+fuhrmann,+buffalo+ny&sll=43.015548,-78.795305&sspn=0.007123,0.014377&ie=UTF8&hq=tifft+and+fuhrmann,&hnear=Buffalo,+NY&ll=42.839102,-78.857557&spn=0,359.990355&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=42.839164,-78.857626&panoid=DmDP_Bo1KhXWH9FiiEnamQ&cbp=12,273.83,,0,-4.1)?

Actually, it looks like a pet rock closest to the camera  :silly:

Yes, I do believe you are right!   :rofl:

(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/S7y9WqEXiLI/AAAAAAAAFsU/yMUrj2IpI54/s512/University%20of%20Buffalo%20Student%20Union%20Construction%20Cam%20-%20Windows%20Internet%20Explorer%20472010%20112645%20AM.bmp.jpg)

From this morning's changing of the guard.  Yankee acts very submissively to BB.

 I just posted an album of this morning's screencaps HERE (http://picasaweb.google.com/Sage836/PefasUBScreencaps4710#)

Actually, Yankee might have an attitude...that is the same look Kaver used to give Mariah when he didn't want to give up being on the eggs.  I think BB has an attentive partner.

Thanks for putting all those webcam shots into an album.  Pretty neat as a slideshow.

~Joyce

For the second consecutive year, a female peregrine falcon has laid eggs in a nesting box in the tower of MacKay Heating Plant on the east side of the South Campus.

And this year, anyone with access to the Web can watch those eggs hatch, and if all goes well, the chicks grow and mature in the nest.

Staff members from UB Facilities, with assistance from and in consultation with the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the Buffalo Audubon Society, installed a new Web cam in the nest the week of March 22—while the rare birds were present but before the breeding season began, says Al Gilewicz, assistant director, Utility Operations.

The UB “falcon-cam” is particularly important, members of the local bird-watching community say, because the Audubon society camera that had been observing the peregrine falcons in residence in the Statler Tower in downtown Buffalo went dark when the building was mothballed.

Local birdwatchers are certain the female peregrine at UB is BB, the same female who laid the eggs in MacKay tower last spring. But Smokey, last year’s male, has been replaced by Yankee, a bird from the Niagara Gorge nest.

Gilewicz says Smokey did return to the UB nest recently and fought with BB and Yankee—with the altercation captured by the camera. Smokey was driven off, but not before one of the three eggs in the nest was broken. A short time later, though, the camera documented that BB laid another egg, bringing the total back to three.

Gilewicz praises the work of UB IT staff, in particular Jeff Klein and Joe Mantione, in getting the Web cam to operate. “The technical people really made it come alive,” he adds.

Last spring, UB Facilities staff, working with local officials from the DEC and the Buffalo Audubon Society, built the nesting box and received permission from the state Office of Historic Preservation—the MacKay tower is a state historic landmark—to install the box near the top of the tower.

Four chicks were hatched in May and biologists from the DEC banded them in order to identify and monitor them for the rest of their lives. While biologists say chicks are unlikely to return once they leave their nest, their parents frequently return to the same nest to raise another brood.

Yes, Joyce, and she only left him in charge of the eggs for a very short time, and when she came back, he did not want to leave but her stare told him he should go.  :)

Thanks for posting that article, Donna!  I've been watching for it since the cam went in!

Visibility at the gorge today was zero, but we did see a pefa on the north Grand Island Bridge near the nestbox, but only after postediting of the pix to cut through all the moisture in the air. 

Link to write-up Donna posted...
UB REPORTER April 7, 2010
http://www.buffalo.edu/ubreporter/2010_04_07/falcon_cam

Additional blog write-up & pictures...
YOUR UB April 2, 2010
http://ubcommunity.blogspot.com/2010/04/falcon-update-bb-and-yankee-in-nest.html

BUFFALO, NY - A new University at Buffalo Web camera is letting viewers get an up close peek at a Peregrine Falcon family perched high above at the college's South Campus.

The nest was custom-made and installed by UB staff last year with help from the New York State DEC and the Buffalo Audubon Society. It's located in the tower of the college's Mackay Heating Plant. It's the second straight year a female has laid her eggs there.

The "falcon-cam" has taken on increased importance for bird lovers since a similar camera at the Statler went dark last month when the historic building was mothballed.

Local bird watchers say they're sure the momma peregrine is "BB", the same female who laid eggs in the tower last spring. However, "Smokey", last year's poppa, has been replaced by "Yankee".

Al Gilewicz, UB's assistant director of utility operations, says Smokey was driven off following a fight with BB and Yankee. That altercation resulted in one of the three eggs in the nest being broken. Shortly after though, the falcon-cam recorded BB laying another egg, bringing the total back to three.

http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=75929&provider=gnews (http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=75929&provider=gnews)

Exciting news about Beauty's 4th egg!   :happy:

After not seeing any Peregrines at the grain elevators for the last week or so, we were thrilled to find one today, happily perched on the front/east side. 





And a new young Peregrine was spotted at a 9th floor window!  How cool would that be?   :2thumbsup:



More pix and news on the blog! 

Great pics Sage...thanks.  :clap:

So have the Peregrines on the grain elevator been identified? are they banded? Every time I hear of unidentified falcons I keep hoping it will be one of "our" kids.

  Though we've seen two before, but just one yesterday, we are hoping they are a nesting pair.  We did catch bands but not numbers.   Does Rochester put colored tape on the right leg over the FWS band?

Yes we do use colored tape on the USFWS band...the M&K family tree  (http://rfalconcam.com/rfc-main/familyTree.php) has the tape colors (can't find the link right now for the band mubers)

Yes they do Sage.  Silver, green, Yellow, blue, black and white.
   

Donna, how old is Zephr?

Zephyr was hatched in 2008

2 yrs old in May!  :heart:   Z-man for short.

I can't post large photos here but check the 3rd pic HERE (http://pefas.blogspot.com/2010/04/peregrine-at-grain-elevators-and-new.html)    The other leg band seems to be yellowish, but, Buffalo bands similarly and we're also hoping it's one of ours! ;)

Definitely a yellow tape band in that third picture.  It'd be great if it was Zephyr, but of course you folks in Buffalo will be rooting for a home-town returnee...  I'll be interested to learn the band ID if anyone can get a read on it.

Zephyr is 22/R...the lower letter looks more like a V than an R...gonna go out on a VERY shaky limb here just by mentioning Sacajawea (2007) is 93/V with yellow tape

We will be checking back at the grain elevators frequently and working to get better leg shots!  And hoping anyone else with good equipment and a pefa obsession can try too.  Available parking nearby next to Gallagher Beach.

Buffalo has so many peregrine mysteries this year! 

I can't convince myself that the lower character is a "V", but I think it does resemble an "R".  I would put my money on Zepheyr, since he is known to have survived that dangerous first year and was also spotted in Rochester last year.

What other sites use tape on the USFW band?  I think the Toronto Shereton does.  Any yellow bands used there?

Paul

In your enhanced version, Paul, what I thought was part of a V appears to just be a reflection, though I really can't see anything more.  Oh well!  Need a better view of the band.  Canada uses tape on the USFWS band, but their VID bands are all black. Eastern US for sure, but PA also uses tape.

Here's what we have for yellow banded falcons with black/green bands east of Buffalo.

Rochester 2008  22/R  (m)  Zephyr
Rochester 2007  93/V  (f)   Sacajawea

Syracuse  2009  83/Z  (f)   Ardena
Syracuse  2008  98/V  (f)   Jean
Syracuse  2007  (no yellow bands)

Joyce

P.S.  I am in contact with Syracuse, and told them when anything is confirmed, I will let then know.

Joyce,  well then, I'd guess Zephyr as a possibility, just a possibility!     We have to check our possibilities too!  :frog:  Wish I had access to that list!

And here's our latest exciting news!There are four eggs at Central Terminal! 

  She may have already been incubating on Mar 24th and they were screaming at a third pefa flying around the tower.

More on the blog...

Hey Sage, your cam came in # 3 on the top 10 Webcams   :2thumbsup: :clap:

http://www.earthcam.com/topten_archive.php?year=2010 (http://www.earthcam.com/topten_archive.php?year=2010)

Wow!  That's exciting!   I had no idea!  Thanks, Donna!

Hmmm, I think people here need to rate Rfalconcam.

http://www.earthcam.com/search/ft_search.php?s1=1&term=rochester&x=38&y=12

I totally agree....did you see some of those cams??? What's up with that?

Oh and I just gave it a 5  :sparrow: :sparrow: :sparrow: :sparrow: :sparrow: rating

We spotted the grain elevator pefa this afternoon but there was not a chance of a leg shot!

Buffalo Watch Report - Saturday April 17

I stayed over in Buffalo on Friday night, and checked out the Grain Elevators (GE), Central Terminal (CT) and UB the next morning.

It was mostly a tiercel watch in Buffalo. I started with GE.  You have to be very patient there if you want to see any falcons. I must have waited an hour to confirm they were there. It was very cold and windy, so I sat in my car.  Finally I saw the male flying. Then there were two. They did a little flying and talon-tagging together.  It didn't last long and they both disappeared on the south side of the building.  That's where I saw tail feathers on a ledge where they were sunning themselves on a nice 70 degree on Apr 1st.  I walked over to check and there was no sign of them.

There are so many easy-access openings into this building. It is surprising that peregrines are going inside the building, because they aren't cavity nesters. The fact that these two were seen flying together doesn't seem like behavior of peregrines who are incubating eggs.  Only time will tell.  I doubt the DEC would be able to band any young here. 

This site fascinates me and worries me at the same time. It will be a challenge for any fledglings.  The location is at the opening to Lake Erie and there is lots of water.  There is a break wall across the channel with a lighthouse. There aren't many low level buildings in the area, and to the south there are 7 windmills.

Then I headed over to the Central Terminal.  I ran into someone from the DEC checking on CT and she told me there were 4 eggs in the nestbox.  Boy the DEC is going to have their hands full at banding time in Buffalo this year!!   The male was up on one of the columns near the top of the building; never saw the female.

Then I headed over to UB.  The DEC was there checking that site out too. They left, and then I heard kakking.  The male came in with prey and landed higher up on the building.  I watched as he cleaned and ate his meal.  I wasn't dressed for the cold, so I left without seeing the female, but at least she is on camera.

Which is your favorite site, Joyce?  Amazing, isn't it, to have so many pefa sites?  ;D

Today at the grain elevators, we saw this one flying in and it did appear to be in the previously seen observation post.  I think the DEC will be checking this site out in the near future.

BUFFALO, NY (WBFO) - While there are no tenants inside the Statler towers in downtown Buffalo, some outside dwellers remain.

Department of Environmental Conservation wildlife biologist Connie Adams says Peregrine Falcons have been nesting at the top of the Statler for many years now. And even though the future of the building remains uncertain, the Peregrines continue to make the structure their home.

Adams says there are seven known nesting pairs in the Buffalo area. She says Peregrines continue to return to the same nesting spot year after year.

Another set settled into a building on UB's South Campus. The falcons are waiting for three eggs to hatch. Adams has been working along with the UB staff and the Buffalo Audubon Society in keeping watch. UB gained approval to install a nesting box at MacKay Tower because it is a historic landmark. A web cam was also added.

But the Audubon Society had to remove its falcon web cam at the Statler. So anyone who wants to view their activity will have to revert to less modern means -- binoculars, telephoto camera lens or telescope.

Yes, like we did yesterday with a scope from the Rand Building!   ;D




And this shot when the male finally returned to the grain elevators yesterday!

We're sitting on pins and needles here too, but I just caught the "changing of the guard" at UB and there are still three eggs.


Connie just rang - DEC can't get in to check the Statler nest so can we go to the Rand again!  Off we go!

Breaking news!  Statler pefas still have four eggs!  We caught the changing of the guard and a clear view.  Hatching should be any time now.  All the nests will be checked tomorrow.

Sage - did you happen to see yellow tape on the male when it landed at the grain elevators, or was it too far away?

 :clap: :2thumbsup: How cool...thanks

 Oh, Joyce, the bird didn't comply with our wishes, and perched well beyond our reach.  This is the shot Roger got with the long lens, equivalent to 1600mm, on 3 MP, and cropped.  You're familiar with this building and its position.  :)  This bird continually plays games with us, by perching on three different sides!  Maybe four, but we'd need a boat to know that!  

More on my blog later!  And news of any hatchings will be posted late Wednesday or Thursday. :)

 Statler nest today - Are there five eggs?

Can't tell...but it sure looks like a lotta eggs in that nest!

Wow!  We have FIVE EGGS at Central Terminal!   :hyper:

And, what's this at UB?  A pip or just something stuck on the egg?

   :mbanana:

Other news:  one pefa seen in the Niagara Gorge but nest not seen. 

One good thing...there are no trains at the terminal to get in the way of fledging.  But it is going to be an interesting time in Buffalo.  Looks like something on the side of the egg to me.

5 EGGS!!! Good Grief...and Good luck. That's a  lot of eyas's.. :thumbsup: :clap:

No hatches yet at UB and no known hatches elsewhere in Buffalo...waiting...

Hi Donna. Spirit and Roger are in Montreal not in Buffalo. Nicole

YIKES!!! I have heat stroke! Sorry. :sunshine: :thanks2:

Take a look at UB's falcon cam
News 4 is keeping a close eye on the falcon family

Updated: Monday, 03 May 2010, 7:29 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 03 May 2010, 10:40 AM EDT


BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - News 4 is keeping a close eye on a feathered family on UB's South Campus that's about to get a lot bigger.

There's a clutch of peregrine falcon eggs in the tower of the Mackay Heating Plant on campus that are expected to hatch any day now.

As you can see, both mom and dad have been taking turns sitting on the eggs.

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/education/Watch-a-falcon-family-grow-on-webcam (http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/education/Watch-a-falcon-family-grow-on-webcam) Video from News 4

Two eyasses between 3am and 8am today!  Yea BB and Yankee!

 :clap: :congrats: :hatch1: :hatch1:

By 3pm all three eggs had hatched at UB!  And, hatching has begun at the Statler too! 

Awesome! :hatch1: :chick3: :hatch1: :chick3:

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Something new is stealing the spotlight in UB's falcon cam.

Two of these webcam stories involving wildlife are catching the attention of a lot of people. The first one revolves around those peregrine falcons at the University at Buffalo.

The falcons have a nest in the tower of the Mackay Heating Plant on the South Campus. One of the eggs hatched on Tuesday. We're still waiting for the other two to hatch. Both the mom and dad have been taking turns sitting on the eggs. You can take a live look at the falcon cam by following this link . This is the second year in a row that the female has laid her eggs inside this nest.

Back in March we told you about an owl cam in California. More than seven million people have been watching Molly the barnyard owl and her husband McGee attend to their nest. All four of her eggs have hatched and people have been watching the chicks on the internet .

The owl cam has been one of the most popular sites on our webpage. More than 37,000 people have been watching the owls in California and in the last couple of days, more than 6,000 people have been watching the falcon cam at UB through our website.

I'm sure there will be a revised article tomorrow!  :hatch1: :hatch1: :hatch1:

 :2funny:  All of a sudden, Peregrines are the star attraction again!  Connie has an interview or some news thing tomorrow too.  I always miss them because we don't watch local news since most of the time they just report fires, shootings or stuff captured from national news which we already heard.

Nitety nite now   

More news!

Statler - two or more hatches

North Grand Island Bridge - eyasses in nestbox, number uncertain

South Grand Island Bridge - nesting in same spot as 2009 but observers afraid to get close

Central Terminal not due to hatch til about 5/20

Grain Elevator has not been checked yet

Niagara Gorge - active nest on American side

and, we have photos of more pefas in the city!

Photos aren't processed yet so stay tuned!   :happy:

 Feeding the kids at the Statler today!

 Buffalo's newest pair, at least documentation of the two in the same place!  

I love where the nest is...looks so cozy. Thanks Sage.

http://blogs.buffalonews.com/live/2010/05/ub-webcam-captures-falcon-life.html (http://blogs.buffalonews.com/live/2010/05/ub-webcam-captures-falcon-life.html) 

Sage, did you see this? Scroll to the end, they have a voice recorder of how the nest came about. Pretty cool!  :cool-045: :bravo:

Wow! Very cool!  Thanks Donna...I would have missed it if you hadn't alerted me to it.  :surprise:

There is a pair of falcons in Buffalo that have just hatched 3 chics.   In a picture one adult is banned just wondering if there is a chance of them being  offspring of Karver and Mariah?

here is the link:  http://www.buffalo.edu/webcam/falconcam.html

They aren't related to Mariah and Kaver but if you want to read more about all the Buffalo Falcons, go to the Forum Home Page then to Raptor Webcams where you'll find the topic Buffalo Falcon News 2010.

Thanks for asking, Ron, and congratulations on your first post!

 :thumbsup:  UB falconcam now Live Streaming Video!

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Buffalo's latest reality stars are a pair of peregrine falcons being viewed over the Web, as they nest on a chimney stack high above the University at Buffalo South Campus.

UB installed a small camera atop the 135-foot smokestack at the Mackay Heating Plant, where the endangered species first showed up three years ago.

Viewers are logging onto the webcam, which refreshes every six seconds, to follow UB's two resident peregrines, BB and Yankee.

It's a regular soap opera.

You want drama?

How about Tuesday, when viewers saw the couple's three chicks hatch.

You want scandal?

How about when BB's mate from last year returned to the nest to find he had been replaced.

"The camera helps us tremendously to be able to watch the progress of the nest," said Mark Kandel, a regional wildlife manager with the state Department of Environmental Conservation, which is responsible for protecting and managing peregrine falcons.

"But probably equally as important, or more so, is for the public to enjoy the birds," Kandel said. "It's a tremendous educational tool at all levels."

A falcon cam had been installed at the top of the Statler building, which for years has been a nesting ground for what were the only two peregrines known in these parts.

But that webcam was shut down when the Statler was, so the DEC asked UB to consider installing a camera at the Mackay Plant, where a man-made nesting box had been placed after peregrines were first spotted there in 2008.

UB was happy to oblige, installing the camera in March.


"It's a real popular site," said Al Gilewicz, UB's assistant director of utility operations. "It's a great resource for Western New York, and the university is part of Western New York and should do things like this."

Four chicks — Kevin, Tori, Athos and Zephyr — hatched when two peregrines returned to UB last spring, Gilewicz said.

But when BB arrived at the nest this season, observers discovered she had linked up with a different male — Yankee.

After she produced three eggs, last year's male, Smokey, returned.

He wasn't happy.

There was a big fight, but in the end, Yankee, showed the old beau the door.

It's actually a good sign for the recovery of peregrines, said Connie Adams, a wildlife biologist with the DEC.

"You have more peregrines than you do nests, which leads to fights," Adams said.

And all the action was caught on the webcam.

One of the eggs broke during the lovers' quarrel, but BB soon laid another, Gilewicz said.

"Over the last couple [of] weeks, people were wondering when they were going to hatch," Gilewicz said, "and it happened early this week."

Once again, the webcam captured the moment.

In a few weeks, when the three little peregrines are a little older, someone from the DEC will climb to the top of the UB chimney and band the chicks to help track them once they leave the nest.

They are amazing birds, Kandel said.

When a peregrine falcon locks in on its prey — other birds — it dives in the sky at speeds in excess of 100 mph and uses its talons to stun its prey or pluck it out of midair, Kandel said.

"I've only actually seen it happen twice in all these years," Kandel said, "but it's really something dramatic to see."

And while peregrine falcons are still on the endangered species list in New York, they are making a comeback.

In 1965, there were no peregrines nesting in New York, but after many years of preservationists protecting the birds and hatching eggs while in captivity, there are now more than 60 nests around the state, Kandel said.

While the birds are known to make their homes on high cliffs and peaks, the peregrine falcons have fast become urban dwellers, as they have taken a liking to tall city buildings and structures.

There are several in the Buffalo area now, Kandel said.

Besides the pairs at UB and the Statler, there is a pair each in the Niagara Gorge, the Central Terminal and an old grain elevator along the Buffalo waterfront, as well as two pairs nesting under the Grand Island bridges, Kandel said.

Adams just heard about a pair at the Park Lane condominiums on Gates Circle.

Kandel said the federal government has taken the peregrine falcon off the endangered list, because of the growing numbers around the nation, particularly in the West.

"It's been a long road," Kandel said. "This recovery project has been going on for over 30 years, and for about 12 or 13 years, we've had just the pair in Buffalo. Now, they're starting to mushroom."

SWEET!!  :clap:

Post 97 shows the Park Lane/Gates Circle Pefas   :happy: 

When checking Statler from the Rand building, our scope, binocs and cameras result in conversations in the elevator.  Roger was explaining what we were doing to a business owner who then told us about the pefas on his roof!   We thought, peregrines on his roof?  He told us where he lived and we went to look, the building was 9 stories high, but.............  So a few emails back and forth and he sent us three pix!  That convinced us!  I sent the pix on to Connie who is now as excited as we are!  The earlier pic of a juvie pefa on a 9th fl windowsill was taken not far from the Park Lane at the Westbrook.

There is a lot of thunder and lightning with this bad storm right now in Buffalo and the UB nestbox is lighting up like crazy!   :o  Weather expected to be bad tomorrow too.  It's a scary storm and it's hitting Rochester now.  There's more to come..hang on!

Donna - That's a very well written article!  Where did it come from?  Is Mark Kandel in Avon NY?  Is he connected with the Rochester Pefas as well?

Sage - Wow, so much happening in Buffalo.  Buffalo really needs a local falconwatcher group like we have in Rochester and in Syracuse.  They only have the one nestsite too, which now has 4 chicks.

Love the streaming video - but how do we capture the images we want to save?  Your albums of the images are great to have.

~Joyce

http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/05/07/1042885/falcons-soar-in-soap-opera-at.html (http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/05/07/1042885/falcons-soar-in-soap-opera-at.html)  Joyce here's the original article.

Joyce, thanks!   :happy:  Mark Kandel is at the Buffalo DEC office, Region 9, which extends to the PA line but not as far east as Rochester.

And yes, keeping up with all that's happening here keeps Roger and I very busy as we often hit 4 or more sites a day, but he loves to drive, loves the pefas too, and we both always have our cameras.  It would be so much easier if there were cams covering most of the sites!  Most of these places we don't even have access to.  Besides watching the sites we know about, we track down verbal reports too.  Then we send documentation to Connie.  :)

I'm trying to keep up better with the Picasa Web Albums, so thanks for looking!  That gives me encouragement.  :)  My time at home and at the laptop consists of watching cams, reading reports on forums, cropping/editing the day's pix, trying to keep up with my 3 blogs, Rochesters forum, and a couple others, then other sites, FB, Wildlife Gardeners, Buffalo blogs... :hyper:

I find I cannot get screencaps off the streaming feed on IE, but I can from Firefox.  Try that and I'll try to find out how to get them with IE.

Now...I have a couple questions raised by just watching our cam.  Not positive but I think it was Yankee.  They sometimes bring fresh kill, undressed, into the nest and I'm sure you've seen feathers strewn everywhere.  When he pulled apart the prey to feed the eyasses, he would sometimes just eat a big chunk, feathers and all. 

How normal is this and are they apt to expel the pellets directly under the nest or farther away?

The other question regards how he moved the chicks, by grabbing the back of they eyas's neck in his mouth, lifting the eyass and moving it to the other side of the pile.   Like a cat would move a kitten.   I never saw this before!

Is this normal or unusual?

I don't know about normal, but I have seen that once.  In 2006 when Mariah was injured we lost 2 eyases shortly after hatching.  At one point one of them had crawled away from the pile and Kaver picked it up like that and put it back in the pile, but it died shortly after.

Now, I'm not saying that there's anything wrong at UB...they might do it regularly & we just don't see it...

Ei, didn't he also fly off and moved an Eyas to the front of the nest box? Remember we were all shocked and it was pouring and the baby was getting soaked? Oy....what day. I'll never forget.

Yes, that was an awful day. But as sad as it was, Kaver did an outstanding job that year. For those new here, Rhea Mae was one of the 3 that made it.



And "Sabrina" who turned out to be a tiercel...last seen nesting in Ogdensburgh (if I recall correctly).

Oh Kaver was the best...no denying that. He just didn't know, there was a lot going on in that nest at the time. He took GREAT care of Mariah and we were all stunned how loving he was to her. One amazing tiercel.  :crying:

The kids are six days old!

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/S-haYEmWvhI/AAAAAAAAGb8/8CHhCha20Jc/s400/University+at+Buffalo+Falcon+Cam+-+Live+Video+-+Mozilla+Firefox+5102010+23610+PM.bmp.jpg)

And soooooooooo cute!!!  :baby: :baby:

Uh huh! :yes: :heart:  :heart:

Dear falcon fans,

While I was bored working a two hour flight early yesterday morning from Chicago to Rapid City, South Dakota with only fifteen passengers who all went to sleep immediately after the beverage service, I decided to take a peek at the USA Today which is a popular newspaper distributed nationally.  I read the section called "Across the USA: News from every state" which is one of my favorite sections because it gives a little news blurb about each state.  Under New York, it says:

"Buffalo - Viewers who log onto the University at Buffalo South Campus' webcam were rewarded when three chicks hatched in the nest of peregrine falcons, BB and Yankee.  The school installed a camera atop the 135-foot smokestack at the Mackay Heating Plant, where the endangered species first showed up three years ago."

Pretty cool, huh?

Yours truly,
John Carlos

Buffalo's UB babies are ONE WEEK OLD today!

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The Iroquois Kestrels are hatched!


(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/S-m07yCEcdI/AAAAAAAAGdU/2vyoBFMiluc/s320/Kestrel+Webcam+-+Windows+Internet+Explorer+5112010+34640+PM.bmp.jpg)


And the Brussels Cathedral pefas got banded!

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/S-mp2xIfcBI/AAAAAAAAGcc/bXuBwnJsyvE/s400/Falcons+for+everyone+-+Peregrine+falcons+on+the+cathedral+-+Windows+Internet+Explorer+5112010+20209+PM.bmp.jpg)

More on blog!

(http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll40/MaineEagleLovers/Falcons%20Other/UBfalcon051210animation.gif)

Thanks CLC!

Very cool!  Thanks!

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(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/S-195R7p3UI/AAAAAAAAGhw/UFGLOoNYOA4/s400/P1080333.JPG)        BB

BB and Yankee are getting in trouble, attacking workers across the street at the VA Hospital, even knocking the hard hat off one guy!

Oh boy...watch out! :hurt:

I guess a peregrine's view of close is very different from ours.  That's a fiesty pair.  if they are not careful, they might get expelled from school!

I watched a feeding earlier this evening. As expected, the biggest eyas got the most.  I felt bad for the smallest one who was in the middle. Maybe this little one got some food when I wasn't tuned in.  When he huddled with the one close to him, instead of facing out for food, BB poked him once.

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Looks like four fluffballs in the Statler nest!

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/S-9n_3fBNbI/AAAAAAAAGjs/pBhTNrvoObI/s320/University+at+Buffalo+Falcon+Cam+-+Live+Video+-+Mozilla+Firefox+5152010+92722+AM.bmp.jpg)
Wow!  What a big world out there!

:)   ...more on blog

I still  :heart: where their nest is located.  :wave: Statler nest!

Hmm... Sounds familiar.

On my way to work, I heard WHAM (Buffalo) talk radio mention the UB peregrines during the news and Tom Baurle also mentioned them on his talk show.

Apparently people are getting so interested in watching the eyases on the webcam (which is linked on the radio's website) that people are calling into WHAM for answers about what is happening.  WHAM called the SPCA for answers to questions they are receiving.  WHAM announced on the radio that people should not worry about seeing the eyases left alone for periods at a time, because the parents are out hunting for food, and that this is normal.

I have them on my blog (http://pefas.blogspot.com/) again today and lots more stuff! 

Here's one of UB's kids this morning and btw, the UB Blog is holding a naming contest!

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I think her name is Diva!

Name the UB Three! (http://ubcommunity.blogspot.com/2010/05/name-falcon-chicks.html)

The inquiries have been coming into UB’s home page from as far away as Virginia, Germany and France: Where, oh where, are the falcon parents?

Falcon fans monitoring UB’s falcon-cam noticed over the weekend that BB and Yankee, parents of the three peregrine falcon chicks nesting in the tower of MacKay Heating Plant on the South Campus, are spending more and more time away from the nest.

“Ok, I sound like a worried mom…and I am. Have I just missed the mama and daddy falcons today? Every time I've checked the chicks, they're alone,” e-mailed Rebekah from Virginia.

Well, that’s the way it’s supposed to be, according to Connie Adams, senior wildlife biologist with the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

The chicks have grown large enough to “thermo-regulate on their own,” so there’s no need for the parents to sit on the chicks to keep them warm and cool, Adams explains, adding that when the chicks reach this stage they also are getting too big for mom or dad to “brood.”

And as the chicks grow, their demands for food increase as well. “It takes both parents hunting full time to meet the food needs,” she says, noting that food intake is a proportion of body weight, and that most birds need to eat 20 percent of their body weight per day.

While the parents may not be within view of the webcam, at least one of them will always be within sight of the nest, Adams says.

“People need to log off their computers and come in person to see that mom is usually going to be perched on one of those sturdy perch poles out in front of the nest. When the male takes a break from hunting, he will guard the nest and the female will hunt,” she says. “At night, both adults will be right near the nest box.”

Even when the eggs were being incubated, the adult not on the nest would have been right near the box, or have the box within sight; the adults often perch on one of the cornices of the building above the nest box, she says.

“Peregrines are the very definition of protective parents,” she notes.

Some falcon watchers also have noticed that the chicks frequently are out of view of the falcon-cam. That’s also normal, Adams says.

“These birds become highly mobile right around day 10, so our birds were right on schedule,” she says. “They go from being little white cotton balls to slightly gangly looking, awkwardly mobile 'toddlers.' That is what we have now: toddler peregrines.”

While the chicks now often hug the area right under the camera—and so are out of sight—viewing is about to get much worse, Adams advises. In a week or so, the chicks will begin to make their way toward the front of the nesting box, instead of hanging out in the back.

“When mom or dad returns to the nest, they will rush to meet him/her, and by the time they are four or five weeks old, they will begin to make their way out onto the ledge,” she says. “These 'teenage' peregrines will be eager to 'spread their wings' and will be doing a serious amount of wing-flapping out of sight of the camera.”

DEC biologists are planning to band the birds on May 25. Viewers of the falcon-cam most likely will not be able to watch the banding. Biologists banding last year’s chicks used a net to snare the birds and banded them inside the tower, which is out of view of the webcam.

http://www.buffalo.edu/ubreporter/2010_05_19/falcon_update (http://www.buffalo.edu/ubreporter/2010_05_19/falcon_update)

 :happy:  Hurry over to help name the UB kids!  GO HERE (http://ubcommunity.blogspot.com/2010/05/name-falcon-chicks.html#comment-form) to post your suggestions.  Deadline is Friday 5/21.

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Is she seeing her reflection in the camera?
I think her name is "Diva"!  What do you think?

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Tasty treats  :tease: at the UB nestbox

 :clap: :thumbsup: :2thumbsup:

Some very old Buffalo news!

Marcel Gahbauer reports:  Today Mark Nash and I were fortunate enough to be invited to attend the banding of the Buffalo peregrines, conducted by Chris Nadareski of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and Mark Kandel of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).  Also present were Barbara Loucks from the Endangered Species Unit of the DEC, Bill Burch of the Buffalo Ornithological Society, Rick Stevens from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and John Wichrowski of Channel 2 News in Buffalo.

The roughly three-week-old chicks were taken directly from the back of the nest box to a makeshift banding table in the maintenance room of the Statler Hotel.   The three chicks were all in good health, and handled the situation very well - although they were lively and feisty, they were rather quiet for the most part, and did not appear to be overly stressed by the banding.

The two females and one male each received a black US Fish and Wildlife band on their right leg, and a black over red band (with a unique two character code) on their left leg.  Following the banding of each bird, Chris and Mark examined it for lice, and for overall health.

Observers in the street and in the levels of the Statler building below the nest reported that both adults flew back and forth while the chicks were inside being banded.  Upon the completion of the banding, we returned to the street ourselves, and watched both adults visit the nest box in the next little while.  All in all it was a thoroughly successful banding today, and we are glad to have been a part of it.   Eight photos from the banding have been put up in the Buffalo Gallery.

Friday April 30, 1999
Mark Kandel reports:  The female that nested in this same box last year was found dead on a nearby roof top on April 5. Her injuries suggest that she was killed by another raptor. We are assuming she was killed by the pair currently occupying the nest box.

However, there is also good news.  Two of the eggs had hatched by April 23 (see Photo Gallery), and as of today we have three chicks and one unhatched egg.   It is likely that the new female laid all of these eggs, as I had a brief look at the female on the nest on March 23, and her leg band colours did not match with last year's female, who may have gotten killed when she tried to reclaim her former nest site.

Tuesday March 23, 1999
Mark Kandel reports: The Buffalo peregrines are ahead of schedule. On Monday March 22 there were three eggs in the nest. We installed the camera on that day. We had not expected to find eggs so soon. The female stayed on the eggs as the hole was drilled in the box and the camera mounted. We did have to flush her briefly to remove a panel from inside the box to complete the installation. She and the male returned after about five minutes. She took about 15 minutes to settle back in and resume incubating.  We plan to have the monitor set up for the public tomorrow. For now the monitor will be in the Statler Towers in the window of the US Airways ticket office on West Genesee Street. Funding for the camera and installation came from the Buffalo Ornithological Society.

Friday February 19, 1999
Mark Nash reports: Today I visited Buffalo to meet with Mark Kandel of the New York Department of Conservation and Bill Burch of the Buffalo Ornithological Society.  We discussed the possibility of installing a video camera overlooking last year's nest site, and the logistics associated with this.  All parties are interested in pursuing this project, and we hope to have more information available soon.

Eighteen days old, getting around the nestbox and even venturing on to the flight deck, and as you can see below, learning how to flap those cute little wings!   :heart:

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Fun in Buffalo!

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Cute pics Sage...thanks. Gettin around now.  :clap:

and don't forget Banding tomorrow at 10am....names to be announced!  :thumbsup:

Bijoux Day for the Buffalo Boys!

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Details and link to web album on http://www.peregrineplace.com/ (New domain)
:)

 :flash:   Great shot of this eyas!     :2thumbsup:

Pix of the eyasses during banding were taken by Ken Nusstein, head MacKay Tower guy, who looks like a movie star!  :D

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TAG7lRHFzpI/AAAAAAAAG-I/CPmv0iPqOW8/s400/P1010881.JPG)
Saturday at UB - how cute!

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TAG7kr4Gj6I/AAAAAAAAG94/RklmU6VlwtU/s400/University+at+Buffalo+Falcon+Cam+-+Live+Video+-+Windows+Internet+Explorer+5292010+82954+PM.bmp.jpg)
Awwww.......

In the morning the nestbox gets full sun but good mama BB shelters her babies til the sun moves away. 

Happy Memorial Day to you!

Love that shot with BB and the eyas.

The "Potter"  boys are doing well....running in and out of the nest...flapping.  :heart: :heart: :heart:

Those little Rochester kids are so adorable I can't stand it!   :happy:

I was away from the blog for a few days so I put up a lot of pix today, UB, Statler and Kestrels!  And news about their names!

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TAhmeva9nmI/AAAAAAAAHDw/hbR7foQYWQ8/s320/University+at+Buffalo+Falcon+Cam+-+Live+Video+-+Windows+Internet+Explorer+5302010+14046+PM.bmp.jpg)

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TAhprzOuV9I/AAAAAAAAHD4/lJMw3Vx5g_Y/s320/P1090536.JPG)

 :flash: :coolphotos: :thanks2:

Oh I like Hagrid better than Herman Sage...thanks...great pics.  :clap: Your boyz are quite handsome also. Maybe they can hang out with the101 Hudson gals!  :heart: :-[

Hey!  I thought Rhea Mae's boys were promised the Jersey girls!   :laugh:

Ohhhh...could be some competition! Sorry. Now come on, who wouldn't want to hang out with a Hagrid!

We have plenty to go around!  And promises of more next year from our two territorial pairs who are likely not nesting this year...unless there are nests yet to be located!   ;D

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TArclU2o1_I/AAAAAAAAHIE/MCFH515uaf8/s400/Fullscreen+capture+652010+71339+PM.bmp.jpg)  The little one

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TAnEByMHlVI/AAAAAAAAHFw/HnAaLcxO9Hw/s320/P1090694.JPG)  On lookout at Central Terminal

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TA7Z38oBGeI/AAAAAAAAHM0/gi8BgsHvVd0/s400/P1100025.JPG)  UB Family portrait - BB and the Potter boys.  She demonstrated flying to her awestuck kids

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TA7gQe1saOI/AAAAAAAAHNM/or-vHJSd844/s320/P1100086.JPG)  North Grand Island Bridge - 3 males, 1 female banded here.  Parent on rail.

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TA2eqSuPuDI/AAAAAAAAHL0/IxI_uhFd-bo/s400/P1020431.JPG)  Statler Tower - kids are just days younger than UB's but are getting so mature!

More pix and news on the blog.

 :thumbsup: Thanks Sage!  :clap:

Nice family...great pics.Thanks

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBKcSTe7vRI/AAAAAAAAHUI/6MFH13Hdtkk/s400/P1100274.JPG)  How many can you count?  4-5-6?

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBKcRlT7zPI/AAAAAAAAHUA/HF0enm4_F0k/s400/P1100277.JPG)

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBKcS--okcI/AAAAAAAAHUQ/2XXU9jV-XqQ/s400/P1100254.JPG)
And one of the CT kids came out to look around!  Stash and Stella were also on the tower.  Banding probably Wednesday.

I definitely see more than 4.  Counted 5 in each pic...but could there be 6?  Can't tell for sure.

?? I counted 4 in the 1st pic and I think 5 in the 2nd. So many.... :o Good luck with fledging sage.

 :happy:  Yes, I now think five with a possibility of 6.  When they were smaller, we just could not really identify five for sure so rather than say five, we went with four, figuring if there were more, all the better!  These parents really have their hands full!  Roger got more pix today which I'll blog later but that may tomorrow.  It was very hazy today.  The Statler birds are very big now and hanging out on the flight deck, wing-flapping and looking ready-to-go!     :surprise:

Construction crews were demolishing that triangular thingy in front of the convention center, below the nest.  Between the haze and construction dust, optics had a time of it today.

UB's Potter boys are also so big and dark brown, with barely any white on their heads anymore. 

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBQtPCz69fI/AAAAAAAAHXI/uyHaGkCar-U/s400/P1100344.JPG)
Today we can count four, and if there is a fifth, it's hiding.   Look how big they are!  The one on the right isn't even on the flight deck, but on the long perch!    They are getting ready to broaden their base of operations to soon include more roofs!

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBQ1PhYnAjI/AAAAAAAAHXg/IQ2A1eaPhRs/s320/P1020766.JPG)
The triangle thing between the Statler and the Convention Center was demolished today.  Will the Statler be next?

 :mbanana:  We have two fledges today at UB!  Pix to follow!   bguitar

Ohhhh good luck Sage. May they be strong on their first flights!

Thanks, Donna!   Harry and Hagrid are flying strong! 

  Web album of the UB kids on fledge day (http://www.peregrineplace.com/2010/06/ubs-peregrine-falcons-fledge-today.html)  and Fledge blog post (http://www.peregrineplace.com/2010/06/ubs-peregrine-falcons-fledge-today.html)

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBWci2j310I/AAAAAAAAHYQ/H9HMzQfQ80E/s400/P1020918.JPG)

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBWcj_srbYI/AAAAAAAAHYg/hnirgFUbtcU/s400/P1020986.JPG)

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBWckbFmAMI/AAAAAAAAHYo/p_4CVt6m86E/s400/P1100501.JPG)

Sage,
Thanks for the great pics and info on the Statler and UB families!  Gosh, I hope they don't demolish the old Statler building!  We went up there to watch Handsome and Beauty's kids several years ago.  The architecture in that area is wonderful and great for falcon perching!

We are hoping to go and see the UB kids soon!
Suzanne, in Ithaca

I didn't know where to post this but just saw on 6 PM news (WKBW) a report on a Peregrine Falcon found around Niagara Blvd (Buffalo area) walking in the road and it was limping.  Several people lead it to the side of the road and then called Animal control.  The DEC came and got it. They showed closeup pics of it and it looked scared but alert.  Maybe Sage knows what happened and can get some info on who it is. It was definitely a juvie and hopefully it will be alright.

It's a dangerous world for the juvies.I'm glad we have such a great group of watchers.
Hope he/she is in good hands.

Greetings Carla

Let's hope the little one is ok. 

Oh so sad....hope not one of the Potter boys.  :(

  All the newsman said was that it was "one of the Falcons that has been flying around."  I'm hoping that maybe Sage or maybe even Joyce can find out who it is.

Thanks, Suzanne.  I don't think anyone can afford to demolish the Statler, nor can they afford to refurbish it.  Sad situation.

Another exciting day at UB!  Ron left the nest and was happily crawling around the ledge below the box.  Meanwhile, Harry and Hagrid were flying when gulls tried to join them.  Harry got distracted and hit the ground.  Rescue details on the blog.   

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBam7sn8BwI/AAAAAAAAHaw/8SICVedmZao/s400/P1030069.JPG)

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBam7FgSF1I/AAAAAAAAHao/zuALQMDwR2k/s400/P1030070.JPG)

Poor Harry but at least he's OK. He better be a good boy now. Thanks Sage. Keep us posted.

"Harry, use your broom"

(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBbfnL5fSKI/AAAAAAAAHcI/c9xjPDedRSQ/s640/P1100726.JPG) 

I just added Roger's fantastic pix of BB flying around overhead as Harry was being released  GO HERE (http://picasaweb.google.com/Sage836/PeregrineFalconsFledgeAtUB2010#) to see more!

Kris G - Check out Sage's post on Peregrine Place http://www.peregrineplace.com/. Are the are the photos Sage posted tonight the ones you saw?  Then it was Harry Potter.

Sometimes when fledglings first come to ground, they look like they are limping and it just the way they walk.  They may be unstable and exhausted from flying so hard to gain height.

Glad the new fledgling is doing okay.  Gulls were a pain in Syracuse too.  One kept buzzing Chase, a first-day fledge, when she landed on her 2nd flight.  She toppled a little.  How RUDE those gulls can be!

That is one incredible photograph!   Thank you.

Gayle

Joyce-I just watched the 11 PM news and they said that it was a juvie from the Statler Towers, that it's injured and that it was unable to fly.  DEC took it somewhere for an examination to determine the extent of the injury.

This is very weird:

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/local/Falcon-dive-bombs-unwitting-pedestrians

Falcon dive-bombs unwitting pedestrians
Updated: Monday, 14 Jun 2010, 10:53 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 14 Jun 2010, 10:39 PM EDT

George Richert
Posted by: Eli George
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Remember oohing and aahing over those cute peregrine falcon chicks who showed off for a UB nest cam? Well, the chicks are out of the nest, and the protective mom is dive-bombing anybody who gets too close.

Resident Antoine Lanier said, "And you can hear them, they're up there. The big one's about to land, and they're up there."

It was Sunday evening at around six when Antoine watched a peregrine falcon chase a teen-aged boy across Winspear.

"You know what scared me is he ran out in the middle of the street. He coulda got hit by a car," said Antoine.

Minutes after that, his dog was attacked.

Antoine recounted, "I felt something, something go right by me, and it hit my dog, and you know, she yelped, and I could see it was a big bird and it was trying to pick her up. It was shaking, she had blood on her paws and her ears. These were all ripped off, the nails were down, she has cuts underneath her body."

It's all happening around the McKay Tower at UB where state wildlife officials and UB put a nesting platform and a live camera on a family of peregrine falcons that have taken up residence there.

>>>Watch George's reporter's notebook as he "hunts" for shots of the falcons in their tower nest

NYS DEC Wildlife Biologist Connie Adams said, "The unique thing about this week is that their chicks have fledged, or left the nest, which they did on Sunday, and so they are especially defensive."

Falcons are only about the size of a crow, but this family has one over-protective mama.

"She is acting differently from any other peregrine in New York State at this point," explained Adams.

On Saturday, a pair of bird watchers were attacked. Then, on the roof of the VA Hospital, a worker was forced over the edge.

Adams said, "And he was tied in, but he was struck several times in the head and back area."

What's next?

"It will get better in about two weeks," stated Adams.

Antoine added, "We can't wait two weeks."

                 :o Really weird!

Yes, Buffalo has been very exciting the last couple days!  It was a Statler early fledge who needed to be rescued today.  It can be difficult for a brand new fledge to take off from the ground and if the ground is a high-traffic area like Niagara Square,  and the roofs of this nestsite can no longer be accessed because the bldg is boarded up and the DEC is denied access by the bankruptcy court, well, there really were not a lot of options today.  This bird will be checked out, banded and have a chance to live.  I won't even know where, but that's okay. 

The history of successful returns to rooftops in this area has been poor.  Most birds are never seen again.  This one will have a better chance so we have to be glad of that.  He's lucky he survived that experience!

Our UB nest is a much better situation, being surrounded by the protective MacKay employees who are there to help in a second!   Harry Potter was rescued from the dangerous area and returned to mom so fast!   :happy:

This week Buffalo has three nest sites fledging which promises a week of entertainment, excitement, fear and wonderment!  Buffalo thanks you for caring about our wonderful Peregrines! 

Yikes, Sage!  I'm surprised that the DEC can't get access since the birds are endangered!  Hope the little one is ok!

Hope the UB folks stay protective.  That one guy on tv was irritated that his dog got attacked by mama bird!  She is really protective!

Kris and Sage - Thanks for the updates.  I merged the two topics under this thread.  Kris, how do you see the Buffalo stations in Rochester? 

I feel terrible about the Statler fledgling.  With so many nestsites around Buffalo this year, Buffalo watchers are limited.

I hope this little one will be okay.  I figured the fledgling couldn't be returned to the top of the Statler because DEC does not have permission to access that building.  Once the falcon gets a clean bill of health, it will probably get released nearby.

Sage - please keep us updated.

I agree - some strange happenings.  I sure hope the area residents don't get so upset with BB that they force the UB nestbox to be removed.  I have to admit this is one very aggressive peregrine falcon, but she didn't do this last year.  Could young Yankee not be the protector that Smoky was last year?  With the publicity and cam this year, could people be getting too close and upsetting her territory?  Whatever happened, BB feels very threatened and she is going to continue until her fledges are on their own.  Wonder what kind of a dog it was?

Joyce

Joyce, the dog looks like a lg wh pitbull.   Barb B just said Miriam, BB's mom, was the same way, and mostly attacked men.  She thinks BB may be used to Roger and I.  The road around MacKay is used by many students walking, and you know how close it is to Winspear where people are always walking. 

At first, Yankee was getting the blame because BB wasn't quite so "protective" last year until the kids fledged.  It was easy to blame Yankee!  But then it was discovered that BB was the attacker and it started early with the beginning of the nesting season.  We think it may be that last year she learned about where her kids would be flying to and from, what parts of the campus and especially the VA on the other side of Bailey, so she started early this year to make it be known that was her territory.

Re: removing the box - the thing is, if the nest box were removed, the pefas would still nest there!  But not as successfully.  They chose the spot in 2008; nestbox installed and first nesting 2009.  The box was installed only after it was determined the birds would nest there. 

Connie has had to add "damage control" to her job description!

Falcons rule!  What a great shot. :flash:

I'll say, what a fantastic shot!  :clap:  (http://www.cool-smileys.com/images/108.gif) (http://www.cool-smileys.com/trophy-icon-smiley) Winner

"Joyce, the dog looks like a lg wh pitbull.   Barb B just said Miriam, BB's mom, was the same way, and mostly attacked men.  She thinks BB may be used to Roger and I.  The road around MacKay is used by many students walking, and you know how close it is to Winspear where people are always walking. - Sage"

A large white pitbull?  OK, I'm not saying it didn't happen as reported.  But, I cannot believe a Peregrine tried to lift a large white pitbull.  Attack, yes.  Cut up, yes.  But an attempt to lift it?  If that really happened, this is one very aggressive and bold and not very smart (sorry) Peregrine.  Yikes!

We know Mariah could get quite aggressive when defending her young and I've heard stories of Peregrines attacking people.  Linda Woods (Rhea Mae's Watcher) was chased down the street by Wind, so it does happen. 

Thanks for the updates on the Buffalo Peregrines!  Amazing how protective the adults can be when they perceive their young may be at risk.  I hope everyone settles down there. 

Too bad about the young Statler fledgling...hope s/he will be okay!  That area is so difficult for them!!  And the building is boarded up!?  Yikes, the little ones need those ledges to fly to when they land on the ground!  And I agree...I thought the DEC has jurisdiction when it comes to the NYS endangered peregrines?  How frustrating for you folks and the falcons!

Keep us posted!
Suzanne

Thanks for confirming that my brain is still working, Carol  :clap:, as I thought that Linda also had an up close experience with a falcon.

Joyce-We live between both cities so we can get both Rochester and Buffalo stations on TWC.

I'm so happy that this man realized this young Peregrine needed help, stopped and with others, guided it off the road.  It could have been struck, severely injured or even killed by traffic. A very lucky young fledgling!  :clap:  

Argh...that would be terrible if they decided to move the nest box as a result of what happened!!  It certainly seems as though BB felt threatened somehow. Peregrines have been endangered for so long that I am not certain there is much viable research on the issue.  All the efforts have been to help the species to survive.

At least they didn't do what the motorist with the newly fledged falcon did-- drove off with it on the windshield.

And I agree with you, Suzanne.  It made me nervous seeing that man so upset.  I don't believe the falcon tried to lift his dog but I can see where a mama bird would want to protect her babies. 

News Flash!     
 Tuesday, June 15, 2010

~ Statler chick who went down is a healthy girl named "Statler" and returned!   More on blog now and pix and web album of the event by tonight!  Just wanted to share this much with you quickly!

Great news, Sage, with a happy ending!!   :clap:

Yeah!!!  Glad to hear she okay and returned!!  Thank you for the quick update.

That's great Sage...thanks so much.... :heart: happy endings.....well, so far. Fingers crossed.

 goodnews: :clap:

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wbfo/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1663511/WBFO.News/UB%27s.peregrine.falcon.mother.gets..feisty (http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wbfo/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1663511/WBFO.News/UB%27s.peregrine.falcon.mother.gets..feisty)

Mother falcon attacks dog, people in Buffalo, NY

(AP) – 5 hours ago

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Her chicks have left the nest, but a peregrine falcon nesting on a Buffalo tower is proving to be an overprotective mother. Antoine Lanier said he saw the falcon recently chase a teenage boy across a street near the University of Buffalo's South Campus, where a falcon nesting platform is perched on McKay Tower.

Minutes later, Lanier said the falcon swooped in and attacked his dog, leaving the pooch with bloodied paws and ears.

State wildlife biologist Connie Adams said the falcon chicks hatched on the UB tower have left the nest, but the mother remains defensive of her territory.

She said the falcon attacked a pair of bird watchers and a man working on the roof of a Buffalo hospital.

Adams said the mother falcon should become less aggressive in about two weeks.

You don't mess with Mother Nature.

Appreciate all your interest and comments about our Buffalo Peregrine sagas!  

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBg059NfuQI/AAAAAAAAHfQ/b0LoQ3tCktg/s400/P1100948.JPG)  Jackie releasing "Statler"

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBg040HBV3I/AAAAAAAAHfA/WIRbv5n2v0M/s400/P1100919.JPG)  Lunch of Brown Thrasher being delivered to FOUR kids still in nest half an hour BEFORE "Statler" was released!  So, FIVE new Statler pefas in all!

More news and pix on BLOG (http://www.peregrineplace.com/) plus a link to the new web album of the Statler fledging.

 
Sage, are you kidding me? No banding and no rescues allowed? Why? I thought the DEC had the upper hand in all cases where falcons are concerned! I guess not. Very sad. Poor babies.   :(

 :thumbsdown:

Everyone is denied access to that building by the Court, including the building owners.  Property protection (both creditors and debtors) is part of Bankruptcy protection.  We don't have to like the rules, but they are what they are.

That is so discouraging!  Are there lots of fledge watchers around to help if needed, I hope?
Suzanne

FIVE (!) just banded at Central Terminal - 3 girls, 2 boys!

 :wow: :mbanana: :clap:

YAY...CONGRATS Vicki! Do you name them?

Ah ha, knew there were 5 at the Statler Towers.  I am so glad the female is okay.  Go Statler!  These peregrines need to find a more welcoming home for next year.  That is such a shame that they couldn't be banded.

Now 5 at Central terminal.  Wow!  Sage - how many young ones so far from the Buffalo area?

Yeah...that is great news!!  Did you get the band info on them or color bands?  Oh, and were they named?  So many questions!  We are thinking of going up to Buffalo soon and will definitely check them out!!

Thanks for the updates :clap:

Peregrines were in the news again tonight!  WKBW-TV in Buffalo had a great segment on tonight's news about all the Peregrines in the Buffalo area showing clips of the banding of the Central Terminal eyases and Statler before and during her release.  They interviewed a woman from the DEC (I think the last name was Adams) who talked of Peregrines and their speed.  They showed a clip of a man talking about "just trying to get a closer look at the nest" when the mother Peregrine attacked him. Then the reporter named all the nest sites in the Buffalo area, how many pairs there are in NYS and how many hatched last year in the state.  They mentioned that the location between the 2 Great Lakes is becoming an attraction for more and more Peregrines each year. Kudos to "KB" for the great segment and making more people aware of these wonderful birds!    :thumbsup:

WOW...cool.....thanks!

That is great.  The Buffalo Peregrines need lots of positive press! 

I figured he must have been up to something for Mom to go after him.  Nice story!

*

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Buffalo is about to keep better track of one of its falcon families.

There's been a peregrine falcon baby boom here in Buffalo in the past few weeks. And the latest family of five chicks were banded Wednesday at the newest nesting site at the Central Terminal.

Department of Environmental Conservation Wildlife Biologist Connie Adams and her team brought the five chicks down in buckets. There is one female and four males. Adams examined them and fitted them with special bands that will identify them for the rest of their lives. The DEC established this nest at the Central Terminal in November.

"We will be quite content, actually, if there was only one pair of nesting peregrine falcons in this vicinity. Peregrines need about a one mile radius around their nest site that they maintain aggressively as a territory. So they would defend their nest from any peregrines. So any peregrines in the area would have to establish elsewhere and, in fact, Buffalo has seven pairs of nesting peregrines, the most of any city in upstate New York," explained Adams.

These falcon chicks will leave the nest in about three weeks. And in honor of the neighborhood, these "Polish falcons" were born in, the female is named "Polonia" and one of the males is named "Stash."

You can learn more about peregrine falcons from the DEC here.

An excellent day at Central Terminal for the banding of this nest's first family!  All five were healthy and perfect, three girls, two boys!

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBlKL-pQzdI/AAAAAAAAHiI/yyqWaPT4S-s/s400/P1030322.JPG)
"So am i a boy or a girl?"

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBlKM9G3UbI/AAAAAAAAHig/mt-s1kB3__g/s400/P1030363.JPG)
Anxious parents at Central Terminal awaiting return of their kids after their Bijoux party

 :thumbsup: goodnews:

Oh Sage, the pic of the little one is fabulous!!  And I love the expression...so, was it a boy or a girl :happy:

 :2funny:  I knew someone would ask that!!!

For our Statler fans, we accounted for four of the five kids today!  And the one to the right, flew in from who knows where!
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBrYaWVVq3I/AAAAAAAAHmM/hpdsTY8LmjA/s320/P1110233.JPG)

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TBrX3dHeF2I/AAAAAAAAHmE/RQfal7_j8cs/s400/P1110210.JPG)  The reluctant one!

http://video.buffalonews.com/player/?id=1262# (http://video.buffalonews.com/player/?id=1262#)

 :2thumbsup:  Nice video

Be on the lookout for an over-aggressive mother falcon, who has been dive-bombing people near the University at Buffalo South Campus on Main Street while trying to protect her chicks as they take wing.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation fielded at least four reports about the feisty falcon over the weekend.

The peregrine falcon combatively swooped around two passers-by Saturday, before the couple took shelter under a tree and called police, said Connie Adams, a wildlife biologist with the DEC.

The falcon also attacked a worker on the roof of Veterans Affairs Medical Center on Bailey Avenue.

“No one got hurt,” said VA spokeswoman Evangeline E. Conley.

It chased a teenager Sunday evening on Winspear Avenue.

Then, it boldly turned its talons on an 80-pound bulldog as the canine walked with its owner. The attack on the dog left its owner with a $275 veterinarian bill, Adams said.

“For a 2z-pound bird to land on and attack an 80-pound dog, it’s really remarkable,” Adams said. “We have never seen this level of aggression before.”

The culprit, a peregrine falcon named BB, has been nesting atop the 135-foot smokestack at the Mackay Heating Plant at UB for the past three years.

In fact, BB and her mate, Yankee, have been gaining an online fan base as a result of a webcam UB installed in the nest last month at the urging of the DEC.

Adams says BB probably is protecting her three chicks, who have just left the nest and are learning to fly. She’s clearing the way for them.

One of the chicks also was found alive Monday morning on the ground near the Mackay tower, which would help explain the mother’s behavior.

“I’m guessing that chick was on the ground Sunday night, that’s why the female attacked so aggressively,” Adams said. “This was was not a bird looking for prey. It was a bird trying to drive away potential threats to her chick on the ground.”

That said, BB’s aggression was over the top, Adams admitted.

UB and the DEC have cautioned people to stay clear of the nesting area on the South Campus for a couple of weeks as the chicks continue their flying lessons.

“They’ll just get farther and father away from the tower,” Adams said. “The parents sort of leave with them, escorting them to the coast, where the birds will migrate south and end up in South America for the winter. Our birds [BB and Yankee] will then return.”

Adams doesn’t not expect any more incidents, but the DEC is monitoring the situation.

The agency could take action if the protective mother exhibits more aggressive behavior.

“When the lines are crossed, you have to consider all your options, and one of the options would be trapping and removing her,” Adams said. “But that would absolutely be a last resort.”

Very protective and diligent mother, that BB.

Yea!  No more complaints!  BB is good!

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TB1gwNo-WPI/AAAAAAAAHnA/CMxhsLZ9vdo/s400/P1110325.JPG)
CT kids getting big!

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TB1gxQBkorI/AAAAAAAAHnY/sTLkzQbC4Q4/s400/P1110402.JPG)
Here is "Statler" on the Liberty Building

OH I'm so glad BB is being good. Didn't want any bad things to happen there Sage. Thanks so much.

I think BB was just getting bad press, she is a mom protecting her kids. 

So, Sage how many folks are helping you with the fledge watch of all the nests?  We thought about going to Buffalo to help you out, but it is a bit of a drive from Ithaca. 

I really appreciate your interest and offer huddiecat, but I understand that it quite a drive!  This week has been crazy for many reasons but especially because of the fledging activity.  There is no organized group here for fledge watches.  Roger and I do it the best we can, circulating around to the various sites, and trying to catch the most active spots again later in the day.  Our count is about eighteen with an unknown for the Niagara gorge.

Our most active site this week is Central Terminal where three are out of the nest already!

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TCVzJfGQh1I/AAAAAAAAHt0/d5ExVsf0a8s/s400/P1040134.JPG)

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Lots more pix on the blog and I'm trying to catch up on the web albums! 

Sage - You've done a fantastic job keeping everyone posted on your blog  (http://www.peregrineplace.com/) with the various sites.  I'm glad to see "Falco" was rescued and returned to the nestsite.  Very interesting sign that was posted at UB by the DEC. Obviously things have settled down.
 

Sage,
Thanks for the pics and the report!!  What an awesome job you and Roger are doing there!  Next year maybe we can organize something to help you out?  Meanwhile, we are hoping all goes well!

I'm glad DEC put up a sign at UB...thanks Joyce!

Suzanne   

Central Terminal IS Peregrine Palace! 

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TC0y1_Bu5UI/AAAAAAAAH1Y/nxGhOP3w7Mw/s320/P1120923.JPG) 

Above is Stash Jr keeping company with his little sister, officially named Sage by Connie, the one with the yellow tape who got rescued Monday from this spot (below)

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(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TC0x_Vjc1AI/AAAAAAAAH1I/b6V3yYbIPck/s320/P1120872.JPG)
My namesake, Sage!

Fly safely Callidora and Jemison!

CONGRATS Sage...I'm so glad you have your own Falcon namesake. I'm very happy for you. Way to go Connie!

Love the pics too. Thank you!

How cool for you Sage. :congrats:

Congratulations, Sage!   :2thumbsup:

 :yahoo:  Wonderful!   :congrats:   :bravo:

Sage, your heart must be soaring like the falcons!  Congratulations!

Wow!  Thanks so much for your happy comments!  She still hasn't left the nestbox ledge and Stash Jr spends time with her there.  He is flying very well, so it's very nice he goes to keep her company!

We just got home after 12 hrs out and I'll post more pix as soon as I can.  Roger just handed me a stick with his pix! 

At UB, one parent on MacKay and two kids flying nicely around the VA.  No report of where our third baby is.  :(  It's so difficult when the right legs don't have the colored tape!   

A couple shots from the blog tonight, taken by my man, Roger!   :bow:

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TC6cojJyETI/AAAAAAAAH3o/_BWP8bX25Es/s400/P1130013.JPG)  Gorgeous Stash, Jr.  Isn't he wonderful? 

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TC6di6t0-DI/AAAAAAAAH4Q/1qV1ID067tY/s320/P1130064.JPG)  Central Terminal's proud pefa parents, Stash and Stella!

Lots more on the blog  ...

Stash Jr. is beautiful!  Thanks for sharing him.   :2thumbsup:

Thanks so much sage for all your pics and reports. Your days are just as long as the watchers days  here in R. Good luck with your many many fledglings and may they fly free  and live happy healthy lives. Keep a good eye on Sage jr.  :clap:

Thanks Sage. They are all beautiful!!! :wave:

Little "Sage", diligently practicing wing-flapping at Central Terminal yesterday. 

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TDIkjLjfcgI/AAAAAAAAH6Q/9aDk5pc8RcA/s400/P1130340.JPG)

Beautiful.

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TDKhwkt_7WI/AAAAAAAAH8A/jeQLKxx0kVY/s400/P1050269ed.jpg) 

Lots more of Sage again today on the blog!  She was learning a lot today and all the kids were flying around the tower and landing on the highest points.  Later, four gathered on the back arch while Sage was on the front.  They are so much fun to watch right now.  If you're in the area I recommend a visit very soon!

Sage, the pics of the family are wonderful!!  Little Sage is gorgeous!  Thank you so much for posting them for all of us to see.
Suzanne

Way to go Sage and Sage Jr. Great pics. The pic here looks like she's just gonna walk right off the building. Thanks for sharing all your photos with us, looking forward to more. Best of luck to your falcons.

 :ditto: :wave:

 :o  I posted on my blog a Central Terminal falcon watch report from Jacquie Walters, a new DEC tech, about the CT pefa's encounter with an eagle today!  Fantastic reaction by Stash and Stella when their kids were screaming!

Very nice Sage...they are doing well. Thanks!

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TDutV7M_uhI/AAAAAAAAICQ/ICBZhKw_FFs/s400/P1130843.JPG)  The kids continue to learn at CT!

Uhoh...looks like someone is sliding down the concrete clock  :wave:

Nice pics and story Sage!

Suzanne

Kids will be kids! Thanks Sage...I like looking at your pics.  :2thumbsup:

I love the adult's expression as the little one slides!  Ah, kids! When our birds were on Kodak tower, they would slide down the slanted sections!

 :rofl:  She tried so hard to nail that landing but just couldn't hang on and slid to the flat part below, squawking away! 

We saw one of the Potter boys but couldn't read that band!  Parent was on the water tower near the VA but we couldn't find any other kids there tonight.

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Still lovin' MacKay!  Saw two, maybe three, Potter boy tonight and BB (more on blog)

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Love the Potter's...Thanks Sage.

We had breakfast with Frightful!

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 :clap: Nice!

 :yes:  I agree!   ;D

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We only found Frightful at home tonight.  We'll try to find you guys tomorrow but it might be later in the day.   :wave:

Such a cool name! Thanks for posting!

:ditto:

at Central Terminal today

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"Hey, can we get some help up here?"  after a clumsy landing~

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How can "Frightful" be so cute?   :heart:

He is just adorable!!!  Ah, those beginning landings!

Sorry, I've been out of commission recently but got a post up tonight.  Here is Polonia as she flew around the tower at Central Terminal with Sage.

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TFtSoT9wLhI/AAAAAAAAIKU/PzSj0q-XaOw/s400/P1140659.JPG)

 :flash:    :wave:Wonderful shot Sage! I hope everything is fine with you. :yes:

Nice pic, Sage!  Thanks for posting!

Well, glad your back in commission Sage. Thanks for the great pic.

Remember the fight for nest at UB March 30?  Well the video is now on the blog (http://www.peregrineplace.com/)! 

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TGRjpPn7QBI/AAAAAAAAIUM/SdgFlh96aBs/s400/Pefas+UB+2010+nestbox+fight.jpg)

Fight between two Peregrine tiercels over a nest containing three eggs on Mar 20, 2010..  Male "Yankee" (banded in Niagara Gorge 2008) fights an unknown male, which may be the previous unbanded male from this nest in 2009 called "Smoky"  Smoky was displaced in an earlier fight.. 
During the fight, the female, "BB", a banded falcon from Detroit, enters the nest.  At some point she is seen trying to move the eggs to safety.  After the fight it is discovered that one egg was broken in half.  Later the next day another and final egg is laid.
Yankee sustained non-fatal injuries to the head but continued to hunt and bring prey to BB.
All three eggs produced healthy fledges, named, Harry, Hagrid and Ron.
Video captured from Hi-def webcam.

Wow, Sage!  Great video!  Poor BB trying to protect those eggs.  Lucky that only one egg was broken in that fight and that Yankee was not seriously hurt. Thanks for posting!

Whoa, what a fight!  :hurt:  Those Talons mean business. I feel sorry for both and BB. Thanks Sage and glad the "Potter boys were saved.  :clap:

So intense! :scaredblue:

Unbelieveable!  Thanks for sharing that with us Sage.

Wow! What a video. Very had to watch. Wanted to knock some sense into them. Glad all are OK.

A very exciting video. Thank you for sharing this.

Thanks Sage.  :2thumbsup:   I find it interesting that the intruder stayed when their were 2 in the scrape with it. Must have been held down really good.  I would have thought the female would get in on the battle. I guess it's more important to protect the eggs than to help her mate. Too bad Archer joined forces with Beauty against Mariah that Easter morning. Just a comparison. Perhaps there were no eggs on Midtown yet.

That was amazing; thanks for posting it!

It seemed that the intruder kept looking directly at BB as if he expected her to help him.  That, plus his smaller size, makes me think it might have been Smoky if he survived the earlier fight when he lost the nest. 

Then, after this fight for the UB nest, Roger and I were on hand to see a third bird trying for the CT nest.  Stash was on the perch and he screamed for Stella who was inside the nestbox, and the two of them were very hostile to the intruder who then left.  If Smoky survived the UB fight, could he have also been the CT intruder? 

BB may not have helped out due to the eggs being so close to the two Tiercels.  Her concern seemed to be to keep them safe.  Also, the two males seemed to be in a wrestling match, both on their backs.  Neither wanted to move to give the other the upper hand (or talon in this case).

Yes, poor thing seemed at a loss.   She kept chattering though, and when she got the chance, tried to get the eggs.  I am surprised they weren't all broken.

Pix of BB taken by Ken at MacKay/UB when the nestbox got cleaned out and gravel replaced!

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TG1-7JeLgNI/AAAAAAAAIZg/dN9Wfrr6GWs/s400/stack2+007+%282%29.jpg)

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TG1-7vx707I/AAAAAAAAIZo/JwN3e3dtpww/s400/stack2+006+%282%29.jpg)

She's beautiful, Sage!  Great pic!

What a great pic of BB Sage. Thanks so much.

She's gorgeous!!! Thanks for sharing this picture taken by Ken. 

 :wave:   Now that's a fierce looking PEFA!  :scaredblue: Thanks for sharing.   :2thumbsup:

WOW to those pix!

BB is gorgeous. But I must say she looks none to happy with the renovations.

The Thruway Authority caught this shot of the South Grand Island Bridge Peregrine!

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/THg4K5fhTDI/AAAAAAAAIeM/fsTVTXvj7GY/s640/P1010007.JPG)

Even a peregrine can't hide. Thanks sage. Your pics are cool.  :2thumbsup:

 :flash: Wow what a great pic! Thanks Sage. :clap:

So glad they carry cameras too.  Pretty Cool!

What a catch!

BB at UB today

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TK_dSCItmAI/AAAAAAAAJfQ/YOMn49uImcc/s400/P1150776.JPG)

Central Terminal's little Frightful was rescued today in Ontario, and taken to a rehab.  Nothing serious, a wing abrasion, and release is anticipated shortly.

On a sadder note, Central Terminal's Dyngus likely had a fatal collision with a car as he was found by the Clinton exit of the thruway this week. 

These reports along with Roger having seen a lot of flying activity at CT a couple days ago, make we wonder why they are still in the vicinity at this time of year.  I would have expected them to be migrating by now, and especially Dyngus, going north instead of south as winter approaches is curious.

Wow Sage, where ya been? Oh I'm so sorry about Dyngus, so sad to hear this.

 Glad Frightful will be OK. Yeah, why are they there? Lots to ponder! Thanks for popping in, keep us posted.

Sage,

Ontario, Canada or Ontario, NY??  They might just not travel far the first year.  So sad about Dyngus.  Fly free, little buddy

Dyngus maybe had a short circuit with his instincts.  :( :heart:

 :'(

So sorry about Dyngus, Sage. Fly free, little one.   :(

Ont, CA.  We're all confused as to why they are still here.  After they left their CT base camp, they were often seen around nearby church steeples.  We were involved with other issues and just weren't checking closely anymore, thinking they had gone on their way.  We definitely need more watchers here!

Thank you all for your kind thoughts~ 

Very sad news Sage.  Can't your local audubon society put out a call for volunteers to help with your Falcon Watch?  That's one of the reasons we have so many Watchers here in Rochester.  Many locals saw June's article in the D&C (local newspaper) and attended the meeting.  That's how I became involved.

!!! Frightful Recovering
October 14, 2010 - New York - Buffalo
Frank Butson Reports:

This just in…The Owl Foundation,has a visitor from the United States! Meet “Frightful”, a young male Peregrine Falcon recovered in Burlington. Frightful is recovering from road rash and severe bruising to the underside of his right wing. He’s still very sore, but is enjoying the space and quail he’s receiving in his flight training complex. Frightful was banded at Buffalo Central Terminal this past spring.

Seems to be doing some what better...Get well soon Frightful!

Burlington is not that far from Buffalo.  Have to wonder if he ran into the pair at the Burlington Bridge, which is right next to a very busy raised highway.  Plus I've heard there may be a 2nd pair in Burlington more in the city, while the Burlington Bridge is on the edge of Lake Ontario.

Fly free soon Frightful!

Is this a second injury for the little one or the same one talked about below?

I think the same injury jeanne.

Thanks for the email, Carol.  :)  It's wonderful to see a pic of Frightful!

 Unfortunately the BAS doesn't appear to have any interest in the Peregrines, except for the occasional photo-op and this year, they never even showed up for bandings.  Very weird, and you'd think with Buffalo's exceptional and growing Peregrine nestings the BAS would be all over the Peregrines!

What's the BAS?

I was wondering about that too, Jeanne. Also wondering why they would not be interested in their Peregrines! Buffalo Audubon Society, perhaps??

You are correct.  BAS = Buffalo Audubon Society.  I find it very bizarre that they would not be interested in their local Peregrines and nest sites.  I may be wrong, but I thought they took over the cameras at the Statler bldg.  Why did they bother if they have no interest.

As we know here in Rochester, the Fledge Watch is very important.  With so many nest sites in Buffalo, they should be busy looking for volunteers to watch out for these young fledglings.  Again, I don't get it. 

The Los Angeles Audubon assn isn't interested either.  I don't get this.  Watchers could have done a lot when BB was so upset this summer (when her baby was grounded and she was dive bombing people and that dog nearby). 

maybe these Audubon societies have something else on their agendas other than birds. Makes you wonder doesn't it?  :confused:

jeanne, Roger, I and another local fan were actually onsite when Harry went down and got trapped inside the fenced area.  There were also a number of UB employees who came to help immediately.   This spot is the most well watched plus it is equipped with a cam.  The dog incident was the next day and BB was still edgey.  The DEC and UB immediately posted signs on the perimeter to warn people.  It seems BB is in a very protective mode for the week or two after the kids fledge.    And there is that few week period during which all the nests are fledging and it's very difficult to be on hand everywhere. 

The BAS is not even located in Erie County.  And Carol, yes, it is bizarre.   I remember  when Audubon focused on just birds.  Now they have widened their scope, leaving less time for birds.  Esp. the BAS.  Unfortunate in this area where we have so many pefa sites that need attention.

From my blog today: 

Sage,  I'm so glad you and Roger were there and that people got involved!  It just helps so much.  And I'm really glad there was such a quick response when BB was in protective mode!   

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TORLMy1qjZI/AAAAAAAAKC8/H-YiD8x3FmA/s1600/DSC00212compress.JP)

A huge female also seen in yesterday's blog.  She has a silver band on right leg.   Jacquie @ DEC digiscoped her and saw green showing through the feathers on the left leg.  So, this bird is from an eastern state but until we can get a better view and catch some numbers, it remains another Buffalo mystery.  Where is our Stella?   :o

More pix, etc. on blog!  Rochester - is this your bird?

Sage - Let us know if you get the numbers/letters on the band.  We'll let you know.  Hope Stella is ok.

Carol P.

I just made corrections to today's blog!  Both birds are banded!

Do Stash and Stella Winter in Buffalo usually?
Carol P.

Gee Sage, you sure get the action over there. I can see why you need more watchers. Good luck and hope your pair are OK.

This is their first winter after nesting.  Roger and I have been in the Catskills for two months and are just getting back in touch.  Albany DEC was just here checking the co-ordinates of our new sites.   :happy:  I never would have thought the Stash and Stella could have let this happen!   But these two birds are perching on different places than Stash and Stella normally used.

Roger and I are wondering if BB is at CT.  We checked UB a couple times in the week we've been here but have not found BB or Yankee on site.  That does not mean they are not there.  We will check again tomorrow.

(Mouse broken - can't post pic - plz check blog for pix)

Just to let you know that BB is at UB but it's definitely a new pair at CT, both are banded.  More later~   

More pix posted tonight   :happy:

Oh boy, this is frightful....now we wait until Spring to see what happens. Great pics of the newbies. Thanks Sage.

No worries Sage the cavalry is on the way tomorrow! :yes:

I can't paste the pic-url here and have to get a new mouse tomorrow so I can post pix!   :-\  

  Yea!  This thread will be plastered with pix tomorrow night!   :rofl:

http://www.peregrineplace.com/ (http://www.peregrineplace.com/) Pic URL

Sage put out a call for help in identifying the new pair at the Central Terminal and 4 Rochester Watchers answered.

Kathy O, Lisa McK, Dana and Carol P made the drive down the NYS thruway to Buffalo, NY.  We met Sage and Roger at the Central Terminal.  If you've ever watched Ghost Hunters on the Sci Fi Channel, you've heard of the Central Terminal.  It's said to be haunted.   :scaredblue:  So we were happy to look for Falcons and apparitions.

We arrived around 10:30 am meeting Sage and Roger.  The Central Terminal Bldg towered above us.  So beautiful and impressive.  The architecture of this building is incredible.

We walked around the building, checking out each side.  We could not find any Falcons.  After about an hour, we decided to visit the Univ of Buffalo nest site.  BB was on the structure above the nest box.  She was preening and dozing in the sun.  The male was no where to be found.

After taking a break at Starbucks and warming up a bit, we headed to the Statler Bldg for a quick look.  This building is now closed.  There is still a pair of Pefas that use this nest site, but we could not find them.  If you remember, this is the nest site where the resident female and another fought in the nest box, while the male continued to eat on the perch.  This happened quite a few years ago.

It was time to head back to the Central Terminal.  There were still no falcons to be seen.  Darn.  Sage and Roger had to leave for a little while, promising to return.  Shortly after they left, two Red-tail Hawks appeared above the tower.  One of them just floated there for a few moments.  Just beautiful.  I thought that this proved there were no Peregrines in the area.  Boy, was I wrong.

After the RTH's left the area, Lisa yelled out "FALCON!"  "AT THE NEST BOX!"  We all jumped out of the car, where we had been trying to keep warm.  Not only one Falcon, but two had flown in.  The male was on the perch in front of the nest box and the other was flying gracefully around the top of the tower.  Kathy was on the phone with Sage and Roger telling them that we had Falcons.

They returned in time to see both Falcons take off, heading west.  The female stooped and she and the male flew out of sight.  Well, that was fun.

After awhile, they both returned to the Terminal Tower and landed.  We were able to get the scope on the male and verified that he had silver and black/green bands.  This was not Stash, the current male at this site (he was unbanded).  The female was a little more elusive.

All six of us were on the east side of the building watching the two Falcons that had landed there.  The female took off and looped around the back of the building.  We never saw her come out the other side.  The male remained.  That's when the excitement started.

The female had looped back around the front of the building low, very low.  We all watched in awe as she chased a Pigeon just a couple feet above the pavement, heading right towards us.  She grabbed the Pigeon and carried it upwards towards the roof of one of the lower buildings, where she landed out of sight.  The male came off the tower and followed her, also landing on the roof.

The Watchers spread across the parking area, trying to find a spot where we could see them.  No luck.  We ended up back near the west end and talked excitedly about what we had witnessed.  That's when the female with the male hot on her tail flew up towards the tower.  She was carrying the Pigeon.  They both landed next to each other.  The female started to pluck, but this male was NOT going to wait.  He wrestled her for the prey and they both flew off, the chase was on.  The female again landed high on the front of the tower, the male again landed next to her.  This time he watched her pluck, again feathers were flying.

I got the scope on them and again saw the male's green/black band.  He was watching her intently, bobbing and weaving and making moves to get a share of her catch.  He was finally successful.  He flew off with a small piece, flying around and around the top of the tower.  Looking through our binoculars, we could see that he was eating his prize on the fly.  He ate the whole thing while flying, he never landed with it.  Quite amazing.  When it was gone, he landed back next to the female and again watched her.  This time he was more patient waiting for her to finish.  She finally had her fill and the male grabbed what was left and took it up higher on the tower to eat.

This bold behavior by the Tiercel was different than what I had seen in all my years of Watching Mariah and Kaver and then Archer and Beauty.  Mariah would never have tolerated it.

I pointed the scope at the female, trying to get a look at her bands.  Finally I got really good looks at both her legs.  She was definitely NOT banded.  According to Sage, Stella was unbanded.  Could this be Stella with a new mate?  Hopefully the male will someday be positively ID'd.

We all went to the original Anchor Bar for their world famous chicken wings, YUM!  The end of the Bills game was on, so we were able to see them beat the Bengals.  After we ate, we said our goodbyes to our hosts, Sage and Roger, and thanked them for a wonderful visit.  On our way home, just as it was getting dark, we stopped for one last look at the Central Terminal.  Both Falcons were in the same spots we left them.  Just before we left, the Tiercel took off and flew to the east.  He seemed to be in a hurry.  The female remained on the tower.  It was time for us to leave.

We all had a great time visiting just a few of the Buffalo Falcons.  Thanks Sage and Roger for showing us around.  We all had a wonderful time.   :wave:  

WOW!!! Nice story!

I do hope that anyone living in Buffalo or nearby consider helping out with the Falcon/Fledge Watch there.  They need all kinds of help with so many pairs setting up nest sites.  If you can help out, please contact Sage through her blog (you can click on the link to her blog at the bottom of her posts below).  We only visited 3 of the nest sites.  I believe there are at least 4 more in the area.

The viewing at the Central Terminal is incredible.  Please help out if you can.

Carol P.

Carol, thanks for rounding up some of the Rochester Pefa watchers and coming to Buffalo to help with the Central Terminal birds!  Your report is excellent!  It was great fun hanging out with you, Lisa McK, Kathy O and Dana, who was certainly kept busy behind the lens!   :clap:  Dana, where are you posting the pix?  We're dying to see them!

So now we're wondering if Stash migrated away and another tiercel is just stopping here for a short time or if he is claiming the site.    And will Stash return?  And if he does and this male is still here...   :scaredblue:

I think it is generally agreed that CT is a marvelous site and perfect for Peregrines, especially as a training camp for fledglings! 

And for pefa watchers too, with clear views, plenty of parking and the complex is elevated for decent views of incoming and outgoing birds.   :happy: 

And this site may have a cam for the nesting season too!

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BB, above, at her UB tower with a male today but we couldn't determine if it was Yankee, who we haven't seen there lately.

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TPw3aHWlxhI/AAAAAAAAKLA/Bz0mTXZKZmE/s400/P1160937.JPG)

Stella and a male were perching and flying around the Central Terminal today too.  More pix on blog   :)

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TP1xtXuHx-I/AAAAAAAAKLc/W413sUt6anU/s400/P1160963.JPG)

UB Pefa keeping warm at the top of the heating tower while snow is swirling around with the smoke.

Smart girl!  Nice pic Sage.   :clap:

Yes stay warm, a very nice pic. Almost looks like a card.

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TQEjKSlOa0I/AAAAAAAAKNI/NBUHOP3rjzE/s400/P1170043ed.jpg)  CT pefa flying around tower

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TQAir0PlmYI/AAAAAAAAKMU/4P5prplfmK4/s400/P1090854.JPG)  UB pefas - one at top; one on perch

Buffalo Weather > teens to twenties 

Stella and her unidentified winter mate wowed some Rochester fans again today!  We met up with Joyce, Carol P. Dana, Kathy O and MAK at Central Terminal today for a fun watch!  Though chilly, the wind which usually roars through the site was remarkably and thankfully still today.

I hope Dana or Joyce got some good leg shots of the male.  We'd all like to get an ID.  If he was just traveling through the area heading south when he found this spot, maybe he belongs to a nestsite further north. 


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Very nice Sage, glad they all got to see the falcons. Nice pic, BTW! :)

And here are a few pics that MAK took yesterday in Buffalo:

Falcon at UB
Falcon at UB
Falcon at UB
Falcon at Central Terminal.
Falcon at Statler Building

Thanks MAK, good job  :clap:

Thanks MAK, good job  :clap:
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Is there no stopping this woman... and her new scope??!!

Goooooo, MAK!!
 :clap:

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Is there no stopping this woman... and her new scope??!!

Goooooo, MAK!!
 :clap:
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(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e105/CommentCrazyGirl/Smileys%20Action/Hobbies%20Games/20070813-090332-57.gif) Nope!

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e105/CommentCrazyGirl/Smileys%20Action/Hobbies%20Games/20070813-090332-57.gif) Nope!
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Donna I love the smilies you find!  :rofl: I'm definitely on a roll!   :rofl:  I like Sages pic!  :flash:

MAK, thanks for posting some pic!!!  I definitely have to get a scope!

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I shot this because I love the angles and lines in this pic with the bonus pefa!

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This one Roger got - "Twisted Pefa"

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Really nice pics Sage! I enjoyed watching your Buffalo falcons yesterday! CT is a wonderful falcon nest site and not one ghost showed up to haunt us!  :ghost:  :wave:

Finally !  Here are two albums of pics from our visits to Buffalo. 
Hope you enjoy !  :happy:

Another trip to Buffalo - Dec. 11th, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/293u537

A day trip to Buffalo - Nov. 21st 2010

http://tinyurl.com/22vnla2

Dana

Wow, 2 action packed slides Dana. Good job, great pics. Oh that boy stealing from her again and again. Grrrr. LOL Loved them all. :clap:

Thanks Dana!  Wonderful series of pictures.  I especially love the ones of the CT female after she caught the pigeon in front of us.  Amazing!  :clap:
Carol P.

Dana I do wish you would make albums more often! You did a great job! So many action shots :clap:  :2thumbsup: ;D  Thanks for sharing your works of art.  :wave:

 :star:  Dana!  Those are absolutely fantastic!  Loved the pigeon episode!   :2thumbsup:  Thanks so much for sharing!

I can only see the first picture. For some reason I can't get my computer to go on and show me more. I tried pushing the play button, the next clicking on the thumbnail. Nada.  ???

Dana -- Unbelievable, great job!!!  I will always remember that first trip and seeing my first connection.  You deserve my second post!!! 

Such wonderful pictures, Dana!!!

I think (not 100% sure) it has to do with Flash Player-make sure you have the latest update.  Hopefully that will help...

Ei

that would explain it. Because we have problems with Flash Player.

There is a way around it if you've signed in to view an album.

Open up Kodak Gallery-or, on the top right of the slideshow screen, click on the Done button.

That will open K Gallery.  Click on the All my Albums drop down.  Go to my friends' albums & select Granny (Dana).  You should then see a thumbnail for each album...click to open the album.  Click the first picture-it should pop up a window-use the arrows at the top right to scroll through. (Hopefully that doesn't need Flash now-it used to work on my old non-flash work computer).

Ei

Dana doesn't look like a "granny"!   :happy:

No luck at CT or UB today but we just made quick stops.  Can someone try to post a (pefa) pic on the pefa Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Peregrine-Place/182371738440433?v=wall) please?  I just want to know if you can.  Then if you visit Buffalo, you can add your pix. 

Yup-you have to "like" the page before you can post-I shared one of Dana's pics of Stella...

Ei

I just shared a pic of one of the Statler Falcons on the Liberty Bldg.  To see it, you have to look in the "other" section.

 :clap:  Excellent!  Thanks!!!

Have a very Merry Christmas and wonderful New Year, full of lots of new Peregrines!

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