Rfalconcam Forum

I finally found the REALLY slow public computer here at the Raddison-tiny room back by the garage-creepy!  Anyway-

Met up with MAK at City Hall.  She graciously drove me all around town until we FINALLY found Beauty and Callidora on the jail comm tower.  Callidora is GINORMOUS!  They took off to the east & we followed.

Found Callidora (and Beauty hiding) on HSBC.  Jeanne, Shaky & Carrie joined us. C did some beautiful flying-you could just tell she was flying just because it was fun!  She and Beauty played some talon tag then flew way out east then back.  Around Xerox...scared up some crows.  Eventually Archer came in and we saw all 3 flying together! Archer took off west...Beauty took a trip out east then suddenly showed up on Midtown...then Callidora took of way to the west.  At that point it was getting too dark to see. 

It was great to meet MAK & see Jeanne, Shaky & Carrie again!  Can't wait to see the rest of the gang & meet some new friends!  Goodnight!

Whoo hoo....the DK's in town. Thanks Ei and thanks MAK for taking her around. (GINORMOUS) LOL

So great to see you, Ei!!!  And so glad you could see Callidora!  She really is a big girl!!!!

Welcome to Rochester Ei! I was very happy to meet you and drive you around. Let the watcher weekend begin! :clap:

Reporting from the 15th floor of the Radisson.  I see one falcon (ARcher?) directly across from me on the Old Changing Scenes building, preening and another on the communication tower.  I may not leave my room!  (Don't know where to go anyway...)  Seems like I have a good spot here (and in a/c!)

Way to go Colleen, what better place but your own room, A/C and falcons.  :2thumbsup:

 :wave:   Maybe we should have breakfast in your room!! :rofl:

Come on up - the coffee's on! :coffee:

Haven't spotted any falcons yet though. :pfalcon:

I wish! Yay, Colleen's up early!  :foxbinocs:

Hi Everyone!
Visitor (I think Archer) at the nest box at 6:15 this morning!
YAY !!!

I saw the white feather on the side so I am assuming it is Archer?

The morning began with no falcons, then 2 on changing scenes.  Then Wendy and I went over to the garage looking for either watchers or falcons.  Saw neither for a while, then just a glimpse of a falcon who flew from behind OCS to behind a building.

So Wendy and I decided to go over to the pedestrian bridge (around 7:30).  Again, no watchers and no falcons...until....

We hear a bunch of little birds twittering and Wendy says "I guess I'll just do some regular bird watching, since there are no falcons".   I turn to see the birds she's talking about and silouetted against the sun is this bigger bird..."Wendy, what's that?!"  It was Callidora!  She gave us our own private show - it was awesome!  She chased the little birds for a while (right over our heads!), did circles around the gorge (wish we had been on the observation deck - she was real low over that), stooped on a seagull, did a circle around downtown then landed on the communication tower.

A little after 8 she headed back downtown and so did we.  I can see some watchers starting to gather at the park for the breakfast (I recognize Brian, Kapi and others whose names I can't remember).  I'll be down there soon!

Oh I wish I could be there to have seen that...Good for Callidora :-)  :clap:
Now if only Jemi was back to add to the fun.... :falcon:

 
I know, we both said how she needed her brother to be out there playing with.  Even though she looked like she was having fun, she looked lonely to me.  I guess I'm used to see a lot of juvies in the gorge, not just one.  But I'm glad she discovered it anyway.

I am enjoying the weekend with all of you vicariously, through the great reports :wave:
Keep 'em coming, and have a great weekend!
Carol
WV

How awesome Colleen!  Tonight she stooped on a duck!  A miss but a great stoop!  I hope Jemison recovers soon!! It's so glad A/B/C are active- we were worried earlier this week cause they just lounged on the Frontier Tower!

Maybe they were resting so they could put on an airshow for you watchers this weekend.  ;D

Oh I am glad to hear she is doing so well at growing up, but I am sure that she misses her brother too :-(  I think often about our little boy and hope he isn't lonely in rehab wondering why he is so far away from his family...I worry too that he is missing out on his "life training" and when he is released how will he learn to hunt and survive without the valuable lessons that Callidora leaned from her parents.....
I know that A & B visit the nest box for territorial reasons but the impractical side of me likes to believe that they are looking for their little boy  ??? and will be waiting for him when he is released for a joyous reunion...
Come on little brave baby boy...hurry up and get better...We want to see you happy again.
 :falcon2:

Just a quick note that I'm home safe & sound.  Need to get my arms convinced I'm not driving any more before I can post more...

Great weekend-thanks to everyone!

glad you're back safe and sound, was good you could be here

Loved my pilgrimage to falcon Mecca.  It was good to see a fledgling in Rochester again.  I just knew   Kid Calli would wait for us to get there to show off her newly acquired flying skills.

I, too, made it back home. Had to veer off the NYS Thruway after Kingston.  Pictures are coming.  And the tattoos are still on!  Hubby took a picture of one for the falcon record.

Here are the pictures I took Saturday. a FUN time was had by all :thumbsup: I only got 2 shots of a Falcon. I leave that to the Watchers with the big lenses.

Glad you are home safe Ei & Bonnie :clap:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=h8pt95f.7csaxi0z&x=1&y=-kmxj1k&localeid=en_US

http://tinyurl.com/3529366

ginha

Had a fantastic time Sat. & it was great to meet all the watchers. :yahoo: Glad you  are home safe.

thanks, all, for the reports, and thanks, ginha, for the album!!! I got to see everyone I missed this year!  Looks like a great time was had...

One quick story & picture before I crash (339 pictures and quite a few of them actually have falcons in them! Be a few days before I sort through it all...)

When I left the hotel this morning I saw Beauty on the SE corner of Changing scenes top I beam.  Took a couple of pictures & went on my merry way to the Broad St. Bridge and met up with Don, Suzanne & Dana.  Don asked if I had seen Archer on Changing Scenes.  I said, no, it's Beauty.  He said, no, it's Archer-here's his picture.  I said I stand corrected.  He said they had switched, so I figured I had just missed it while I was walking over.  Until I looked at my pictures...



 :crazy:  Good night everyone!

I too made it home safe and sound (with a very long drive through the Berkshires).  I had a great time, loved seeing everyone again and meeting new people.  Missed some of the flights yesterday, but saw some great family flying this morning and of course, my special Callidora show yesterday morning!  Many memories!

I just want to say thank you to all the locals.  Every year you roll out the red carpet and are the best hosts.  But after everything you do daily for the falcons and for us by posting your reports, your fabulous pictures, maps, not to mention all the work on the website and cameras...(I could go on for days!), I feel like we should be hosting you.  Instead you feed us, give us buttons, maps, tags, notepaper... and all we do is show up.  Thank you isn't enough.  You are a very special community, welcoming and generous.   Thank you! 

Thanks for a great time!  Between the amazing hospitality of the local Watchers, the great city of Rochester, and the falcons, all three of us had a wonderful time.  Fireworks, breakfast, companionship, and falcons -- that's all one really needs.

I've got about a half hour of videotape to process.  That;s going to take a while.  I also have a few still pictures of Beauty and Archer on the Old Changing Scenes restaurant that I can post now.  There is much mention on rfalconcam of the "I-beams" on Changing Scenes.  Our room at the Radisson was a great place to view Changing Scenes, so here are the I-beams, complete with falcons.
 
I also added a shot of the nestbox from our room.  This is what the falcons see as they fly to the box.  After this weekend, I have a much better feel for the world of the Rochester Peregrines.  I hope that my edited videos will help people who were unable to attend to get a similar understanding.

A big, "Thank You" to all the Watchers-- both local out-of-town -- who made this weekend so special.

Paul

It was so great to see everyone!!!  So glad we have these weekends!  Glad you all made it home safe! 

Thank you all for coming to Rochester to visit with Archer, Beauty and Callidora!  New birds and a new place to get acquainted with.  It was so nice seeing old and new friends that share our love of these magnificent creatures.  You all make this such a warm and friendly place to visit.

Thanks for letting us know that you've arrived home safely.  I hope that you'll all be able to return next year.   :wave:

Take care,
Carol P.

Bob and I also made it home safe and sound!!  Our thanks to all the Rochester people for the hospitality that was shown to all of us!  As always we had a great time.  It was great to see everyone from out of town again.  Great people-good food-wonderful time!! And don't forget the wonderful Falcon's who put on a great flying show for us.

Lynne and Bob in New Hampshire

It was really good to meet all the out-of-towners. I'm kinda sad that watchers weekend is over. It sure was alot of fun with everyone. I hope you all return next year and more out-of-towners who didn't make it  can join us.  Glad to hear everyone is getting home safe and sound.  :wave:

 :mbanana:     bguitar

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TEOyymnWJUI/AAAAAAAAIHE/Q8uIuokg2fE/s400/P1050876ed.jpg)

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TEOyyyOZtFI/AAAAAAAAIHM/jw4XFcXsz3k/s400/P1050875ed.jpg)

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_syqbDZhSHJg/TEOyyCj7IbI/AAAAAAAAIG8/hOdcrfJgNw0/s400/P1050873.JPG)

Roger and I met many of the fantastic Rochester falcon-watchers this weekend at the Saturday breakfast in the park. More watchers arrived after these pictures were taken. I wish they would all move to Buffalo!

Callidora was spotted bringing her breakfast to the event which she ate from a building next to the park! Later, two pefas were seen flying overhead before they disappeared behind the buildings. We hope Callidora's brother Jemison can soon join her and give the dedicated falcon watchers a wonderful treat!

Thanks for the great time, Rochester!

The falcons :falcon: are the reason we come together...but it is the people who make Watcher's Weekend! :the_wave:  I had a wonderful time sharing :coffee: :donut: this weekend with all who attended.  :thanks2: to everyone who came from out-of town...great seeing :foxbinocs: you again!  And, it was a pleasure :rose: meeting those who joined us for the first time. :clap:


Joyce :alien:

To "alien Joyce" and all other locals - Bill and I had a really nice time on Saturday-seeing watchers that we had met before and meeting so many new people that I only knew by name on the Forum.  We tried fifty ways to Sunday (our GPS was going crazy rerouting us) to get to the Planetarium for the movie and ran into police barricades everywhere!  We got so frustrated that we ended up going home earlier than we had anticipated.  We watched TV that night to see what was going on and found out that it was the annual Pride parade that prevented us from getting through. Unfortunately, we couldn't attend on Sunday due to a prior commitment but we want to thank all of you for all that you do.  :flowers:

Well it sounds like everyone had a great time this weekend. I'm so glad many came out to see the falcons and meet the watchers. I so wanted to go but unfortunately, I had a prior commitment, house & dog sitting, (I knew it would be the weekend I couldn't make it). Oh well, there's always next year. I had fun watching you watch the falcons and posting MAK and Ei's reports. Thanks for waving on cam Saturday night  :wave: Safe trip home the ones leaving today.

Brian has asked me to tell all the visitors he enjoyed spending time with you this past weekend.

Kris, So sorry you and Bill ran into all that traffic and all the barricades.  We did also and it was really frustrating.  But so glad you both made it on Saturday.  It was so great seeing you!

Jeanne-I should have added to my post how great it was seeing you again and how much I enjoyed talking with you!  Hope to get together for some watching again soon! (I think we got to see some back streets of Rochester that people never knew existed in our trying to get to that darn Planetarium)   :frustrated:

A few pictures............

http://picasaweb.google.com/dawnv311/2010FalconWatchersWeekend?authkey=Gv1sRgCPuInqmY0KSSXw&feat=directlink

Dawn, great pics of the gathering!!

Glad to hear everyone made it home safely!  It was great to see everyone, and what a welcome the falcons provided the group!   The trip to the Planatarium was somewhat of a challenge, but the falcons made up for by performing a food exchange, a stoop on a duck, and some nice flying around above us. 

BTW, we also had an uneventful trip back to Ithaca last night.  We were welcomed home by all the critters...the cat, crows, fish, rabbits, and the remaining crew, all of whom demanded to be fed  :happy:

Suzanne

MAK, please tell Brian "Back at you!"  I always enjoy seeing Brian.  A couple of DVDs will be on their way to you both shortly.  Just whittled 700-800 pics down to 68.  Still trying to cut out a few more.

And I got to see a MAK truck!!  LOL

Loved your driveway, BTW.  Thanks again.

Great photos of this weekend!  :clap:

Thanks Dawn!  So glad you and Ginha caught so many nice shots of everyone at the gathering.  Good memories for years to come.  What a great group!

I agree, great pics Dawn. I'm learning who they all are with no captions!  :clap:

Ginha, not only are your pics wonderful, I love your captions!!   :clap:
Suzanne

Great pics Dawn,I love the last one.

CUTE!! :dogwag:

Greetings Carla

Nice weekend! I think we had almost 15 out of towners and there were some new local faces in the crowd. I tried getting pictures of those who weren’t already in the Falcon Watcher’s album (http://classic.kodakgallery.com/lou/falcons). Hopefully, I got everyone’s name correct. If not, let me know.

I wanted to send a big ‘thanks’ out to my fellow Rochester peeps and to others who brought food to the Tailgater Breakfast – we had enough food for both days. I sampled everything! (BTW, I give the homemade pastry blue ribbon to MAK for her Pumpkin Roll.)

I think Aqueduct Park worked out great. I knew it was going to be good as soon as the Rochester Falcons themselves gave us a Saturday morning welcome fly-by directly over the river in front of us at exactly 9:00 am.  The old pedestrian bridge was nice, but it was as if the new family was formally welcoming us to a new era. And it was nice to be close to the hotels, the restaurants, restrooms, etc. The lunch walk to the Dinosaur Bar B Q worked out well - some people were able to get a table and eat inside (with the air conditioning) and the rest of us just brought our bagged take-out meals back to the park to eat in the shade. The Planetarium trip was somewhat thwarted by the fifteen thousand people blocking the streets near the Planetarium but most people managed to get through the crowds to see the Falcons of Toronto movie.  Oh well, we’ll do better planning next year! 

Saturday night was just plain beautiful though; we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect summer evening. And although I couldn’t avoid getting roped into Brian’s Falcon Dance, Sunday was just as nice!

At any rate, It’s a different venue with a different family of birds, but Watcher’s Weekend has always been one of my favorite parts of the season here in Rochester and this year was no exception.

Glad everybody made it home safe and sound. Hope to see even more visitors next year!

Lou

I guess I am the last out-of-towner to make it home.  After an easy drive, the predicted thunderstorms that never showed up in Rochester hit here in Vermont.  It was a small cell, though, and the sun is out again.  I haven't had time to read through all the posts as yet, so this may have been reported, but I need to add that the "stragglers" spent Sunday afternoon and evening on a nostalgic trip to the pedestrian bridge.  We were treated to a visit from a mysterious falcon who flew in from the north.  This was followed by Beauty and Archer flying down to check things out.  No aggression but definite watchfulness.  Since the bridge seemed to be a sort of boundary line, we were positioned for a good show.
The welcoming local watchers, the other out-of-towners, the weather, the new location, and the awesome flying all contributed to a memorable weekend.
Kapi 
now at home in Vermont

I spent all day editing pictures and preparing a video.  I doubt many of you will be able to get the full effect since I don't have the rights to the music.  But I can put it up on YouTube briefly and then take it off before I am arrested.

Anyway, you will let me know if you can't get this:

http://web.me.com/talluto/Wildlife/Rochester_Falcons_July_2010.html

I'll put the pictures up on the Kodak site shortly.

Wonderful slide show of the falcons you saw this weekend - they simply are so gorgeous - will be happy to see Jemison back flying with them - have they decided if she is female or male?
I appreciate everyone's taking pictures of them, some great photographers among you all -

Phyllis

   :crying: something must be wrong with my computer (not the first time) I can't see the pictures or the video  :stupid:

Lots of people cant get it. .it's not you or the computer.

I got it and I loved it!  Thanks for posting!   :clap:

Awesome screen show Bonnie!  and you even included Buddy!  LOL   :laugh:

Loved the music selections. 

Carol P

Congrats on your first post Phyllis!   :clap:

Kapi - Thanks for letting us know that you arrived home safely.
Carol P.

Thanks for the great time, Rochester!
[/quote]

It was very nice meeting you Sage.  - Carol P.

Great photos, Bonnie!!!!  And I love the music!!!  Thank you!

So glad you all made it back home safe! Kapi, glad the weather wasn't too too bad!  I thought of you when the weather predicted storms!

And Kris, hope you and Bill come down more!

 :wave:   What a fantastic video! Thanks so much Bonnie.    :bravo:

Bonnie, that was so amazing and the music was sooo.... (Clever). I enjoyed it. Thanks so much and thanks again for the offer, sorry I missed all this excitement! Oh and nice TAT!  :clap:

I may be off the wall but I'd like to think the mystery falcon was someone we all know coming to pay a visit to  :heart: Her :heart: watchers the ones she remembers oh so well.   :secret2:

Joyce checked her pictures and she said it was definitely not Mariah.  This bird was very dark, possibly a sub-adult.  The Falcon that Kathy O and I saw at KP last week was definitely an adult female with Mariah-like coloration.

It was a nice little fantasy.  I did think, though, that if Joyce had found anything supportive in her photos, she would have posted long before I ever got home.
Kapi in VT

I was also unable to view the video. :'(

Me either. :crying:

I couldn't view the video either.  Bonnie, let us know when you put the pics on the Kodak site  :wave:
Suzanne

I just put the video up on YouTube, but it will only be up for a day or two.  I am not sure you will be able to hear the music.  Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7ymR9hcEkE

And here is the link to the Kodak picture file (I hope it works):

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=619495002212%3A667293075&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee

or

http://tinyurl.com/29sfgnl

Utube worked great for me Bonnie - loved the music & the video was fantastic ! Thanks  :clap:

That worked - thanks!  Love your music choices, especially "New Girl in Town".

Hi,
Posted his question in the wrong forum.
But I was wondering why the 'Falcon Watch' pages on the BLOGS menu wasn't getting updated.  That's where I've been looking for updates, instead of having to go through all of these posts.
Thanks.

Hey Bonnie - great video! Love the song choices you picked. Of course, the music is nothing without the photos!  VERY CREATIVE!

Hey Bonnie...love your video and music...thank you  :thumbsup:
Suzanne

Bonnie,

Your video brought a smile to my face. Cool stuff! Thanks for sharing

Lou

Thanks, guys.  The first music that appeared on iTunes was Come So Far from Hairspray.  Then the other music from Hairspray just seemed to really fit.  Hope I am not arrested.

Hi Kimbered.  Most of the Watchers have been out for long periods of time and it's hard to find the time to leave a Falcon Watch Report.  To get the most up-to-date information, check out the "Tweets" under the Falcon Watch section.  We're all trying to send tweets from the field reporting what's happening as it happens.

It would be nice if someone could compile each day's tweets into a digest and post it to the FalconWatch blog that night.

Like a paragraph of events?  I could do that

Jeanne - I was going to compile all of the watch reports with photo links from this thread and put them into one post.  Are you doing Twitter under Falcon Watches?

Joyce

No, I see the tweets here.  (which is probably why I didn't know about the @)

Joyce, that is fine if you want to do it with links.  I just volunteered to do a synopsis cause there was a need! I'm fine either way!

Bonnie,
The video was great...it was just as if I was there with you guys... :clap:
I don't think you will get in trouble with You Tube...they will probably just run an ad next to the video.  I have a YT account SpringtimeSkies129 too...it takes a lot more than one copyright issue to be in danger of suspension!
 :falcon:

Enjoyed the video so much!  They are so beautiful while flying!  Didnot know about the get together till to late, but had a busy w/e so wouldn't have been able to attend, maybe next year!
Keep taking those pictures!  They're great!  Does anyone know how Jemison is doing?

We have another topic for Jemison.

Thank you for updating the Blog.  It makes it much easier for us Forum Challenged types. :happy:

I thought I would put up three stills from last weekend.  The YouTube quality is horrible.

Beauty, Callidora and Archer:

(http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/talluto123/Peregrine%20Falcons/DSC_37551.jpg)

(http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/talluto123/Peregrine%20Falcons/DSC_34971.jpg)

(http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/talluto123/Peregrine%20Falcons/DSC_32931.jpg)

Beautiful pics of all 3 Bonnie...thanks. What's Callidora doing, looks like holding on to prey.

 :coolphotos: :flash:   Thanks Bonnie!    :wave:

I think Calli is showing her daddy that she can touch her toes and fly at the same time.

Beautiful falcon pictures.  :2thumbsup:

Great pics Bonnie!  I really like the one of Callidora  :2thumbsup:

And, sorry I didn't get to say "good bye" to you Sunday :(  Glad you made it home safely, though.

Suzanne

It was good seeing everyone from out of town, especially after last year's hiatus.  

My report from the day (http://birdblog.marchlords.com/2010/07/sunday-morning-yields-chasing-birds.html) is light on falcons, but full of birds nonetheless:
http://birdblog.marchlords.com/2010/07/sunday-morning-yields-chasing-birds.html

Jim, your nature pics are really cool. I have never seen a soft-shelled turtle, they are soooo round. Very nice report and pics. Thanks.

 Those kingfishers really put on a show for us.  Love the hover craft.  And I always enjoy seeing your falcon pics.  You are one of the reasons I invested in a better SLR and good lens.

I have really enjoyed all of your reports and pictures from the weekend. Thank
you all!

I just finished reading a book for my Book Club and think it might interest some
of you. It is: When Elephants Weep, The Emotional Lives of Animals, by Jeffrey
Moussaieff Masson and Susan McCarthy. Check it out! There is a lot of pretty
fascinating stuff in it.

Jan in CT