I had a 3 falcon lunch!!    Beauty was perched on Midtown Plaza southeast lower level.  Then I headed out to see the South Side falcons.  They were both perched on the south side of the building, on the east wing.  The male on the top window preening himself.  And the female to the left one floor below him.   

Lisa McK

How very exciting for you Lisa...3 in 1 day...

How come I can't post my falcon watch in the Falcon Watches section?

Only Mods can post their watches there Lisa.

3 something flying

(movie)  falcons in pursuit? This is the first time ever to catch a anything fly by the nest.

Camera 1 started working again on its own at 9:05.

(movie)  it was sputtering last night getting ready for today.

Hey Joe D!

You could be correct.  Then again you might have a Red Shoulder Hawk (size, coloring, and low fence location).  Where are our Photoshoppers? 

Looks like it has a speckled chest, hard to tell because of the blur. Good mystery pic Joe.

I decided this past Sunday would be the perfect evening for an owl prowl.  Before leaving the city I stopped to look for the South Side falcons.  I found both falcons on the same window ledge at the top floor of the building on the south side of the east wing.  A successful short watch, hopefully this was the prelude to a great owl prowl.

I arrived at the location south of Rochester about 4:45 p.m.  The sun was shining bright and I started to look for birds.  Usually one can see numerous Northern Harriers in the area during the daylight hours and the Short Eared Owls come out at dusk.  I drove around the country block once and ran into a birdwatching group that was watching Snowing Buntings and Horned Larks.  On my way back around the block I had a Red Tail Hawk fly just over my car.  So far that was the highlight of the watch.

I caught back up with the birdwatching group and one person thought they saw an owl fly into the tall grass.  We all watched for a few minutes when suddenly a Harrier appeared just above the tall grass.  Well it wasn't an owl, but at least it was a Harrier.  I proceeded to drive around the block again. 

I came back to the road where the Short Eared Owls are typically seen, and was at the top of a hill when I saw two objects flying in front of me just as dusk had arrived.  I stopped the car and sure enough they were OWLS!!! 

I looked to my left and there were five owls landing and flying around a tree in the middle of the field.  I watch these five owls and until they flew away.  There were owls to my left and owls to my right.  They were all around me.  I was in heaven for this 10-15 minute show.

My first owl prowl in a long time and it was awesome.

Lisa McK

very nice Lisa....thanks. What are the South side Falcons?

Thanks fot this good news!!
 
Mirta

I thought of you Mirta!

Strict harvest controls and a total ban on taking horseshoe crabs in New Jersey helped boost the Delaware Bay population after a long decline. But the demand for crabs as commercial fishing bait appears to have shifted to New York and New England, where harvests "may not be sustainable," according to a new biological assessment.

That "redirected harvest" means coastal states should continue to set conservative limits on the bait business, according to a report issued Friday by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Frozen horseshoe crabs are used as bait for whelk and eel traps, and expansion of those fisheries led to a peak harvest of nearly 6 million pounds in 1997, according to the report. That year then-Gov. Christine Todd Whitman imposed emergency controls on crabbing at the urging of bird conservation groups who linked a decline in migrating shorebirds on Delaware Bay to the bait fishery.

Since then, New Jersey has been the most aggressive state on the issue, with a complete ban on taking horseshoe crabs still bitterly opposed by commercial fishermen. Since 2005, estimated crab numbers in Delaware Bay have more than doubled to more than 8 million, with the biggest increases seen in juveniles and adult males, according to the report.

The commission has not formally adopted biological reference points to define the state of horseshoe crab stocks, but evidence used in the stock assessment indicates the crabs have grown in abundance on the southeast coast and in Delaware Bay, the report says.

Shorebird advocates have fought against proposals to liberalize the Delaware Bay crabbing limits, arguing that the population has a long way to go before it can provide the abundance of eggs that birds like the red knot found on beaches in the 1980s.

A playful leopard was left with sore paws and his tail between his legs after losing a battle of wits to a prickly porcupine.

The leopard tried all his hunting techniques to catch the rodent but was given the needle by his spikey prey.

The two-year-old male leopard tried pouncing on the porcupine from above, prodding him and trying to roll him over, but to no avail.

Undeterred, the furry feline even tried extending a gentle paw as the porcupine shook its spikes ferociously.

After 25 minutes and several painful spines in his paws, the big cat was forced to accept defeat and retreat.

The incredible moment was captured on camera by professional wildlife photographer Shem Compion in the Mashatu Game reserve, Botswana.

The pictures were taken during a photography wildlife safari he was leading, as part of his business C4 Images and Safaris.

The 33 year-old, who lives in South Africa, said: "Excitement hardly describes my feelings - it was one of my top wildlife sightings ever.

"We saw this beautiful leopard lounging on a log and then a few moments later a porcupine walked nearby and started nibbling some roots.

"Suddenly, this relaxed leopard spotted the porcupine and sprang on to high alert, watching the rodent before getting up to stalk him."

He continued: "From then on it was full adrenaline. The leopard spent 25 minutes trying to touch the porcupine and get to him.

"The porcupine kept pushing his quills towards the cat and rattling them in a very frightening manner - the leopard would jump up in shock.

"He tried all sorts of things to get under the porcupine but nothing was working and eventually he gave up and lay down."

He added: "There's a rule in the bush which says 'only food runs' so the porcupine knew to stick around until the leopard had walked away so it could get water from a pool.

"The poor porcupine re-gathered some of his wits while I looked around for a gin and tonic to calm my nerves.

"It went from tension to suspense, pain, torment and eventually relief. It was a truly incredible sight."

A number of male drakes have become engaged in the "wild mob-handed mating technique" when chasing female partners in the breeding season, Thirsk locals said.

Experts say the birds have become aggressive due to the decreasing number of females throughout the area.
 
Now residents fear the bad behaviour from the passionate birds, which live around Cod Beck, near the town centre, will destroy local tourism.

With duck mating season approaching, Thirsk Town Council has held crisis talks with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England and the RSPB to try and solve the problem.

New homes have been located for some of the birds but locals fear the banished birds will simply fly back into the area.

"The problem can be distressing for young children and we’ve had a number of complaints about this issue," said town councillor Alan Morton.

"The law forbids us from shooting them or anything like that and we’re working within the law and talking to groups about this."

North Yorkshire County councillor for Thirsk, Gareth Dadd, added: "Although some people think this is a bit quakers it could actually cause offence to some.

"Perhaps this is a problem that we need to take a serious view on."

A RSPB spokesman said: "This is quite a familiar scenario when it comes to ducks and when it comes to mating they are quite aggressive.

"It’s an interesting problem."

[Dear Miss Aafke, Wishing you the best of Birthdays. I know where you probably are right now and your so dedicated in making sure all the and are well fed at home and at your many Have a very my friend.]

Dear Miss Aafke, Wishing you the best of Birthdays. I know where you probably are

right now and your so dedicated in making sure all the  and    are well fed at home and at

 your many  

 Have a very my friend.

My favorite commercial was just on.  The new Clydesdale commercial.   

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

My favorite commercial was just on.  The new Clydesdale commercial.   

I was wondering when they would show it. 

I swear I saw a stooping Peregrine Falcon in the middle of the Callaway commercial just before the Superbowl started.  Cool!

http://www.kxan.com/dpps/sports/super_bowl/2010-super-bowl-commercial-callaway-on-fire-jgr_3224298  YUP!!!

Pictures from around 9 this morning of the Big Snow.  About 16 heavy wet inches then and more is on the ground now.  Lots of wind - - 2 feet in the back yard. Hungry birds and squirrels. Extra Feeding Stations set up.

The titles underneath give an idea of what is what. 

http://classic.kodakgallery.com/valhallaviews/main/02-06-2010-bigsnow

to see other pictures that you may have missed:

http://classic.kodakgallery.com/valhallaviews/

Yowee Janet, you gots some snow for sure. Fantastic pics. Where are you, still digging out?