[remember we said we would wait for DEC to confirm]

Hey everyone...remember we said we would wait for DEC to confirm. We did not have their confirmation on the USFW band tied to Sabrina/Valiant.

In my opinion, I don't see how there can be 2 black over red with M/*T and USFW number similar to those in Upstate NY, but I want nothing more than to be wrong!

I know our group likes to investigate when we hear about falcons in our area. I'm sure DEC just wants to make sure everything is documented before making it public.  We also like to share news, but perhaps our public discussion is looked at as jumping the gun.

Patience...hopefully Rfalconcam will be contacted by DEC one way or the other.

Joyce

I am sorry to say I have confirmed that the T is left sideways, but we will need to wait for official confirmation from the DEC.

Fly free Sabrina/Valiant.

Joyce

Facts I found:  Sabrina was M/*T left sideways (that's why * is left of letter) Sabrina was banded June 1, 2006.   One of the USFW numbers used in Rochester in 2004 was 1687-01177.

More Facts: 1687-01184 was assigned to Juliet from Syracuse in 2005.  Back then DEC was using the USFW 1687 for females.  That year, there were 4 females in Syracuse.  They were all given *2/alpha letter just as those in Rochester.

Because numbers carry over from year to year, and Rochester was banded on same day before Syracuse, it is a possibility that 1687-01185 could have been used in Rochester the following year. Back then, females were black over red and they were given the 1687 band.

Can anyone confirm the USFW band number for Sabrina?

Tag # Black - M Red-T
Tag # 168701185
information gathered when it was reported to the national hotline was that
it was from NY state and banded on June 6th 2005

And M/T isn't exactly his number...he's M/T* (the T is sideways)

Facts I found:  Sabrina was M/*T left sideways (that's why * is left of letter) Sabrina was banded June 1, 2006.   One of the USFW numbers used in Rochester in 2004 was 1687-01177.

[Genesee Valley Audubon announces 2 OUTINGS:]

Genesee Valley Audubon announces 2 OUTINGS:

Jan. 28, Saturday, 9:00 AM GVAS Big Year Irondequoit Bay to the Genesee River Outlet, Charlotte.

Beginning birders will enjoy this trip to watch for waterfowl that visit the open area on the lake each winter.  Dress warmly, we will be standing outside for a while and the wind will be blowing. Wear boots with good traction. Bring your spotting scope if you have one, we will share ours. We will meet at 9:00 AM at the Irondequoit Bay Outlet, parking area near the outlet.

Leaders: June, 865-6047, and Lisa.
 

Feb. 11, Saturday, 9:00 AM GVAS Big Year Winter Field Birds in Northwestern Monroe County.

Join us on an adventure on the roads through the farm country of northwestern Monroe County to look for Snow Buntings, Horned Larks and other field birds. We will be driving mostly with frequently stops. We will meet at the parking lot at Braddock Bay Park, off E. Manitou Rd, at 9:00 AM. We will head west to Hamlin Beach State Park then south into farm country. Please bring your spotting scope.

Leaders: June, 865-6047, and Lisa.

3 more species added. See updated files in 19-Jan-12 post.  ~Joyce

[What have the local Rochester Falcon Watchers been doing this month?]

What have the local Rochester Falcon Watchers been doing this month?  
We are trying our hardest find (see or hear) as many different Monroe County bird species as we can in 2012 as part of the GVAS Big Year Count.

If you are local, join TEAM RFW.  We can use your help even if you are only a Rochester Watcher online.  You may have a bird in your area of Monroe County that we haven't documented yet.

I am keeping track by month, and checking off a list of 478 bird species that was abstracted from the New York State Ornithological Association, Inc.  I simplified it for those of us who are non-techie birders. SEE ATTACHMENTS.  

Official NYSOA list: (Includes several birds that won't be seen in Monroe County)
http://nybirds.org/Publications/ChecklistNYS.htm

1/23/12 updated attached files.

Thanks MAK for posting your sighting of "snow bunting" in today's watch report. I added it to the list.

That sure does look like play behavior.  That's pretty cool!  Hoping they remain in that location until I can get out there to see them.

I added short-earded ow to the list!  Yea, these weren't in Livingston County.

Why don't the GLOW, SHADOW, and MARQUEE functions work anymore?

Birthday Greetings Ei!

[Dechlorane Plus (DP)]

Thanks Frank for sharing, and Donna for posting here.  I agree this is a subject we should keep track of.  That's why I made it a separate topic.

I too found several articles on Dechlorane Plus (DP).  As recent as last week Nov. 7, 2011 an article "Dechlorane Plus in the Atmosphere and Precipitation near the Great Lakes" was published in Environmental Science & Technology.

Only the ABSTRACT is available, but it did make a notable comment: “The highest concentrations of these compounds were generally observed at the rural site at Sturgeon Point, New York, which is located near DP’s manufacturing facility in Niagara Falls, New York, and at the urban site at Cleveland, Ohio.�

Canada seems to be in the forefront of monitoring this change in the environment.   Last month 10-1-2011, a 181-page thesis by Ed Sverko was made public from McMaster University, Hamilton, ON entitled: DETERMINATION OF DECHLORANE PLUS AND RELATED COMPOUNDS IN THE ENVIRONMENT.  

Very interestingly, on page 5 this thesis supports that the atmospheric and sediment concentrations of DP are the highest in our area.  


“Figure 2: Map of the Great Lakes showing five current United States air sampling sites. The DP manufacturing plant is in the city of Niagara Falls, New York, which is on the Niagara River, a tributary connecting Lakes Erie and Ontario. The geometric means of DP’s atmospheric concentrations (summed vapor plus particle phases) are given at each site (in pg m-3). The lake-wide average sediment DP concentration is also given for each lake (in ng g-1 dw)."

I was quite surprised by the numbers for Lake Ontario.  This concerns me.  ~Joyce

Don't we all just love seeing the eyases grow.  I can't believe the sound of the falcons in that box. Thank you Annette for sharing the cam shots and videos.

["2011-2002 Rochester Falcons - Names & Bands"]

Updated file "2011-2002 Rochester Falcons - Names & Bands" attached.

Guess what we might do Saturday morning??? 

Paint your toenails????   

MAK obeys all the rules...so no falcon watching until she get the OKAY from the doctor and/or therapist....of course she could whine a little each time she goes.  Maybe they'll give in when they see she's losing her mind!