Rfalconcam Forum

Is someone could sent me the wonderful story when Mariah helped one of her/his baby to go up and return to the nest?
I remember the fact but not who was.
You can answer me on my personnal mail if you prefer.
Thanks.
Nicole

Hey Nicole!  I believe you're talking about my Mariah and Isaura story?  It was actually my first official Fledge Watch report.  Here it is.

Some of you were not around when the Princess Isaura was born. She
was the only girl that year, with four brothers. She definitely had
Kaver wrapped around her talon. LOL

Here's a fledge watch I will never forget. I apologize to those that
have already read this, but I thought others might want to read it.

Isaura's First Day of Flight as Reported on Kodak Birdcam Discussion
Board – June 24, 2003

Fledge Watch - 4:00-9:00 p.m.
I'd like to start my report off by letting everyone know that all 5
babies are accounted for and well, as is Mariah. Kaver was there most
of the time, but took off. I'm sure he was off hunting and will
return soon.

Ok, on with the fledge watch.

As everyone knows it was Isaura's day for adventure. This morning,
Lisa spotted her in a fenced in area below the Bee Bee Station smoke
stack, where she stayed most of the morning.

I met Jim P in the visitor's parking lot across from the Kodak tower.
He had all the babies spotted, including Isaura on the cat walk of
the center smoke stack and Destiny on the NE corner of the 17th Floor
of the tower.

Jim had to leave, so I was on my own until 5:00 p.m. Marcia drove by
and said that she would be back as soon as she parked her car. Oh, by
the way, did I mention how hot it was? No, well, it was very HOT. OK,
on with the report. ;-)

While I was waiting for Marcia to join me, I watched Isaura, who
decided at that moment to take off. I followed her flight from the
stack to the tower. She stopped about 1/2 way over and then headed
back to the smoke stack. She was losing altitude and ended up hitting
the stack below the catwalk. After bouncing off of the stack she
headed north, past all the stacks and towards the gorge. I watched
for about a minute, but she did not reappear.

I went north down Mill St(?) to the end where it veers to the left.
Straight ahead is Falls St. This street leads down to the river to
the now abandoned Bee Bee Station. I checked out the area to see if I
could spot Isaura. No such luck. Darn, where could she have gone? :-
(

I headed back up to the visitor's parking lot where Marcia joined me,
and explained to her what happened. We both agreed to go down Falls
St. to the river (Genesee River) which is very steep. We went down to
the bottom and again looked around to see if we could spot the little
scoundrel. Still no luck.

I'm glad Marcia was with me at this point because (#1) it's scary
down there and (#2) she has eagle eyes. ;-)

She spoted a falcon flying in circles over a building on the other
side of the river, far away. We figured it must be Mariah circling
over Isaura's location. I just cannot believe that she went that far
on her first day of flying.

We headed back up this very steep road (did I tell you how hot it
was ;-) and walked back to the visitor's parking lot where we were
met by Lisa McK & Linda. We explained to them what happened and we
all headed out to the bridge to see if we could see anything from
there.

After a few minutes of looking, someone spotted two falcons heading
back towards the tower from across the river. Guess who it was!
Mariah was escorting Isaura back home. You could tell that Isaura
was really tired. As she lost altitude, Mariah would gently nudge
her from below, until, finally, Isaura landed safely on the tower.
Whew!

I have to say right now, that I have never seen a more beautiful
sight than this mom bringing her baby back safely from so far away. I
just can't imagine how Mariah found her so quickly. It's amazing to
me.

Well, we all headed back to the tower to see where Mariah and Isaura
landed.

Isaura took off at 5:00 p.m. and Mariah had her home at 5:40 p.m. We
were all very happy. ;-)

To this day it still amazes me how Mariah "escorted" Isaura back to
the tower. I didn't have a camera back then, so I never got any
pictures. I can still see Mariah gently "nudging" Isaura from
slightly below and behind her. Mariah is the best Peregrine mom
ever. ;-)

Carol P.

Mariah is and always will be the BEST peregrine mama.  And this always makes me cry.   :heart: :heart: :heart:

I just read it and it made me cry too.  I think I followed Mariah and Kaver and broods  on the Kfalcon site from early on; just not as closely as in recent years.  Mariah will always be in our hearts and our thoughts as we continue to watch her offspring and descendants go on.  Lovely story, Carol.  I'm glad that Nicole asked.
Tell us more!

 :crying: For real jeanne. Great story, it should be framed! (http://bestsmileys.com/signs4/23.gif)

Thanks Carol. This is it. It was Isaura. Now I will translate and tell this beautiful watching to my friends in Montréal.
Have a good day
Nicole

Carol,

One day last year we were recalling our favorite Mariah stories, and I remember you telling me about Mariah and Isaura.  You said that it was while watching her gently nudge her daughter toward the nestbox that you fell in love with Mariah!  And while you were telling the story, you were still in awe of the "best mom ever" and we both had tears in our eyes.
Long Live The Queen, wherever she wanders... :(  :crying:  :wub:

Carla P
xo

Isaura was and remains my favorite falcon of all.  I guess it is because she was so darn big.

Isaura by Cornpoppy.  :crying:

The whole episode when Mariah was injured really wrenched MY heart.  I thought I had a photo saved of her prostrate mantling her babies, but it may have been lost in moving.  One I DO still have shows her sitting to feed an eyas, and you can see her injured foot/leg.  I was on the edge of tears at work many days watching it all unfold  :crying:

Can anyone let me know what has become of our girl?

We aren't sure where she is.  She hasn't been seen in awhile.  In my heart of hearts, I really think she is alive

I'm with jeanne.  Mariah is flying free somewhere.  Alive and well.

maybe she will end up in Toronto everybody else seems to be going there.  :wub:

I always think of Wind, who Rhea Mae displaced.  As much as folks up north were happy, they loved Wind as we love Mariah.  Wind wasn't seen for about two years and then- appeared at one of the sites!  I think she is still up there. I will not be surprised when Mariah does the same!

There is also Erin - the resident female at King Street here in Toronto (Kendall's mom).  She turned up in 2009 and was 11 years old at the time!  She was born in Milwaukee in 1998 and who knows where she was prior to showing up here.

And don't forget your very own Alkyonis, who was spotted for the first time since she left Rochester in 2004, in Michigan.   

Thanks, Carly, for the healthy and cheerful reminders!    We need them now!
Cheer on for Quest, Kendall, Linn, Reuben, Rhea Mae and Tiago, and all of our PeFas no matter where they may be!   

Carol P., I just read your wonderful report about Mariah assisting Isaura to make it home to the tower after she fledged. Beautiful! I can just picture the incomparable Mariah gently nudging Isaura to help her maintain altitude. I wish we could have a sighting of Mariah . . .

I remember Isaura so well. She was such a beautiful juvie, and she is not forgotten. A few photos of her:

               

Isaura was also my favorite and first casualty.  She met up with a jet at Rochester Airport. I still have tears. 

I think we will never know about Mariah.

That was my first fledge watch and Mariah (and Isaura) captured my heart, forever.  Isaura was a very independent young lady.  The only girl that year with 4 brothers.  She definitely had Kaver wrapped around her big yellow footed talons.   :happy:  He would do anything for her and she was very demanding!  She was the Princess!  Appropriately named by Brian H.

At night all five would return to the top of the Kodak Tower.  One night, Little Miss Isaura decided to spend the night in a tree just below the pedestrian bridge in the river gorge.  While the boys settled down above her, Isaura settled in "her" tree (Isaura's Tree) and watched the people walking back and forth on the bridge.  It was a beautiful summer evening.  The falls were lit in pastel colors, undulating to the music playing softly.

Most of us headed home, knowing they were all safe.  But, Cornpoppy stayed to have dinner at one of the nearby restaurants.  He checked on her before heading home, and she was safely in her tree, head ducked under her wing sound asleep.

We were devastated when it was reported that she had been hit by a plane at the Rochester Airport.

I have so many fond memories of Isaura.   :heart:

Alison & Bonnie - In my heart, I truly believe that Mariah is out there, flying free.  Everytime a new Peregrine is sighted in the area, we all get there as quickly as possible, hoping that it might be her.  I truly wish that some day we may see her again.   :wub:

Me too, Carol!  Whenever I read of a falcon that has been "missing" for awhile-- like Handsome-- only to return, it gives me hope that we will see her again. I am so grateful that she was banded.

Was she hit by the plane later that night or the next day?  I so hate when one of them is lost like that :(

It wasn't then Jeanne.  It was later in the Summer I believe.

What a wonderful story about Isaura, Carol P.! Since I am in western Canada, I never had the chance to see Isaura in person, but I followed her and her siblings Edge, Chayton, Tlohtli and Destiny closely on the webcam. There was something very special about her.

I too was devastated when she was lost in a collision with a plane.

I believe Mariah is out there too, Carol P. She is such a wise, strong and resourceful falcon that I think it is likely that she is still around. Thank you so much for checking on peregrines in the area. And a huge thank you for saving this magnificent falcon's life when Archer and Beauty attacked her.

To the best of my recollection, this happened on July 23, 2003. Born on May 12, Isaura's life was much too short. She deserved to have a long life and raise many chicks.

That's the date I have too, Alison.  I never knew her-I found the cams the following year-but I sure have been able to know how special she was.

You are very welcome Alison.  I have a million of them.  Stories I mean!   :lol:

 :goodone:  You certainly do!  :harhar:

 :whistle:

I'd love to read more of your stories, Carol P.!

I said that too...last year!  Can't there be a place just for Mariah stories?   Carol is the keeper of those stories, and i know you have shared some of them here, but I know you have lots more to say about Mariah.  And you have an audience here....

I second, third and fourth te Mariah stories section. I know it is looking backward but history is good to know.  Then we can make a Beauty and Unity section.  Their stories are priceless. And we can also look forward.

We love you, Mariah (and Kaver), wherever you are.  And you are not forgotten :heart: :heart: :heart:

I agree totally!  :heart: :heart: :heart:

Hoping to see more stories about Mariah, Kaver, Isaura and the other legendary Rochester peregrines soon.

Dittoes !  :heart: :wub:
It is why most of us are here.  And why we keep our eyes to the skies where ever we are.   And why we keep believing...

OK, If I must...... ;)

Mariah and the School Children

One Spring day, there was a whole bunch of kids that made the trip downtown to see Mariah and Kaver.  It was a Falcon Field Trip.   :D

The teacher had contacted Lisa and I and we met them out on the bridge during our lunch hour.  The teachers had made Mariah and Kaver T-Shirts for the kids to wear.  The boys wore Kaver and the girls wore Mariah.  They were so excited to see their favorite Falcon pair.  They had been watching them on the Falconcam at their school and knew there were 5 eggs in the nest box.  

After a few photo ops with the beautiful High Falls and gorge in the background, the children eagerly watched the Kodak Tower hoping for just a glimpse of their favorite falcons.  They wouldn't be disappointed.

Kaver flew in and entered the nest box to take his turn on the eggs.  Mariah flew out and circled the tower, landing on the launch pad above the nest box.  The kids whooped in delight!  Is that Kaver!  Is that Mariah!  Lisa and I assured them that yes, it was them.  Mariah was preening and the kids settled down.  Some were getting bored and some were looking at the animals and birds on the gorge floor.  I had my eye on Mariah the whole time, just in case she took flight.

As I watched, Mariah stretched her wings and I yelled out "she's off!"  I pointed up at the tower and the children watched with growing excitement.  Mariah headed out towards the smoke stacks and towards us.  As she approached, she picked up speed.  She was picking up speed and she was coming our way!

As she passed over the west end of the pedestrian bridge, she folded her wings and went into a STOOP!  The kids were all watching, eyes wide.  They were silent as SWOOSH!  Mariah stooped within a few feet of us into the gorge.  She pulled up, just missing a pigeon that she had spotted from above.  She gained altitude and passed us on her way back to the tower.

Before this, there was silence and then whooping and hollering by all that had witnessed that awesome stoop.  WOOHOO!  The kids were so excited.  Was that Mariah?!  Yep, that was Mariah.  The fastest creature on the planet.

They went back to their classroom that afternoon with a wonderful story to tell their friends and family.

Mariah seemed to always know when to make an appearance.   :clap:

Great story of Mariah!

Lovely story!  Yes, keep them coming, Carol! :clap:
 :wub:

Great story about Mariah, Carol P.! Thank you! More stories, please.

While looking at Joyce's album I browsed another of her albums and just had to remember...



Mariah flying off Sears building. Positive ID - Blue with Yellow Stripe Band. 10/24/2009



Mariah flying off the center pyramid on the roof.

2 excellent pics of Mariah! Love the shadow!!

 :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart:

Nice to see Mariah.  I like the shadow too.   

Ditto!   :wub: