Rfalconcam Forum

I'm browsing through my Flickr page looking for a particular photo from 2010. I haven't found it yet, but I did run into these of Rhea Mae by the distraction guy at the Sheraton Toronto banding in 2011.

      

Don't think I'd want to mess with her!



I suppose I should have put these in the offspring chatter section, but I think one spot for fun Rochester memory photos regardless of where they are now might be more useful...

Mariah & Kaver on banding day (2006? 2007?) by Baerbel

She is her mama's daughter!  Love that face! :heart: :heart: :heart:

I have forgotten Rhea Mae's history.  Is she a Rochester falcon?  Where did her name come from?  I remember an old matriarch falcon from another city named Mae from long ago.

I tried searching, and couldn't find out this history.  Thanks so much!

Rhea Mae hatched in 2006 to Mariah & Kaver along with Sabrina (later to be renamed Valiant) and Aura. That was the year Mariah was injured.

I found the full explanation of Rhea Mae's name on the old KFC board...she was named by Carol P...

I wanted to honor two Matriarchs that did so much to bring the Peregrine back from the brink of extinction. Rhea and Mae. One captive and one wild. I only thought it would be fitting that Matriarch Mariah be the mom of Rhea Mae.

Rhea – Matriarch (Captive)

"On June 12th, 2003 we lost Rhea, Wild Wings' beloved Peregrine Falcon. As we reminisce about Rhea and look back on her long life, we are reminded again that her importance to all of us is profound.

Not only was Rhea an amazing teacher, inspiring children and adults alike, she also played a crucial role in one of the great success stories of the preservation movement–bringing the Peregrine Falcon back from the brink of extinction. Rhea was an "adoptive mother" in a local breed-and-release program, one of many such programs so critical to the comeback of the Peregrine Falcon. Rhea took more than 100 Peregrine Falcon chicks under her wing and raised them to be released into the wild. In fact, a number of Rhea's chicks were released from the top of Kodak Tower in downtown Rochester.

Rhea inspired countless people to value and respect the majestic Peregrine Falcon. We are certain that Rhea's legacy as a teacher and as a mother will endure even though she is no longer with us. "We remember Rhea with great fondness and respect and hope that the many hearts that Rhea touched will carry on the message of the importance of ecological diversity: That all creatures, both big and small, delicate and mighty, are vital ingredients in the preservation of our Earth." – Dre at Wild Wings

Mae – Matriarch (Wild)

Mae (XCel Energy/Allen S King Plant – Bayport, MN), the original power plant nesting peregrine falcon who raised 37 young falcons between 1990 and 2003 at the King plant nest box, was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1988. She was one of the first falcons to successfully fledge from a wild nest in the central United States after the elimination of the pesticide DDT.

Her mother, a falcon called MF1, achieved fame as one the first downtown Minneapolis peregrines, maintaining her territory atop the Multifoods Tower for many years.

Mae was the first falcon to nest at a power plant.  Here is how that came about:

In 1989, as an immature bird, she was observed by a plant employee at the A.S. King plant. Bob Anderson of the Raptor Research Project worked with plant management to build and install a falcon nest box high on the plant stack to encourage her to stay. She claimed the King plant nest box from then on, and successfully raised 37 young falcons here, starting in 1990.

She typically wintered over in the King plant area and along the St. Croix River rather than migrating to warmer climes as most peregrines do.

The King Falcon Cam has followed the nesting activities of Mae since the camera was installed in 1997.

Watching her and her several mates raise young peregrines has been an informative and delightful educational experience for Web visitors from all over the world.

We are grateful to her for playing a starring role in the peregrine power plant nesting program for 15 years and for providing a powerful example of active, attentive parenting. – King Falcon Cam/Raptor Research Project


   

Thanks for sharing Carol P's report, Ei. So fascinating about Rhea Mae. They all have such stories!

Thank you so much Dumpsterkitty!  That is exactly what I was wondering about. Great explanation!  I'm assuming Rhea Mae is in Toronto now.

The year Mariah was injured, I was so bummed and stopped following. Also when everything was moved out of of Kodak. But I'm back


Nora in Florida

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Rhea Mae is nesting at the Sheraton Toronto with Tiago since 2008. They have hatched 18 eyases!

Wow!  She is doing her namesakes and mother proud.


Nora in NW Florida

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Thanks for more of the history of Rhea Mae's name!   I knew that she was from Mariah and Kaver, and that she hatched in 2006, and that Carol had named her.  I knew her nest mates, but I didn't know the background of her name.  Wonderful!   And I love following Rhea Mae and Tiago as they raise their young.
Wonderful story!

So while I was looking for Joyce's newest album I ran into these photos of Mariah from 10/24/2009 at the Medley Center...

         

Wow, she's beautiful.  It must have been so sad to see her bested by Beauty and Archer.  That's life in nature, though.  I hope she is thriving somewhere.  In a perfect world, she will have met up with Kaver again and once again they are producing awesome eyases.  That's what I choose to believe.

Well, there have been quite a few unbanded birds lately...I choose to believe they are offspring of birds we know  ;)

That is such a nice thought!  I'm in! 

Be nice if they were Mariah babies! Maybe UT???? Who knows!

I hope Archer is still raising eyases somewhere too.

Was Mariah's band tri-striped or was that just tape???

For those coming late to the discussion, Mariah was banded (left band only) when she was in rehab. DEC put blue & yellow tape over her USFWS band when she was released.

DK, check your email about the band............was on the right leg.............

Oops!  :-[

Rhea Mae

Born of Matriarch
Named for Matriarchs
Matriarch to be

 :heart:

Well said, Carol P., and so true!

Here is a photo of Rhea:

(http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa393/falcoperegrinus1/March%202013/rheawildwings1_zps9cf74e0b.jpg)

And a photo of Mae:

(http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa393/falcoperegrinus1/Mae%20of%20Minnesota/Mae_looks_beautiful.jpg)

It was nine years ago today that we lost Mae; she is not forgotten.

And today her last daughter, Speedy (born in 2003) laid her second egg. She is at the Wells Fargo nest in Bloomington, Minnesota. She is a beauty, just like her mother.

(http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa393/falcoperegrinus1/March%202013/wellsfargomarch2511a_zps9d70f035.jpg)

http://173.165.255.165/en/JViewer.html (http://173.165.255.165/en/JViewer.html)

Ohhh, that's wonderful!! Thanks!! 2 beautiful girls!

I love this, Carol and so true!

Yes, we cannot forget this.  :heart: :star: :star: :star:

the thought did occur to me, or he could be Kavers younger brother  ;D