Mak and I took advantage of the holiday weekend and took a leisurely drive up to Pickering to see if we could find Quest.

In Mak's words... "We saw the Burlington falcons to start our little adventure. Beautiful area and I got pics. Next stop Toronto and Rhea Mae. We didn't see any falcons but I got pics of where the nestbox is and all the surrounding buildings. Wow what a city with all it's skyscrapers and glass. Joycie took me up to the 43rd floor of the Sheraton so I got to see the falcons birds eye view. It was a bit scary cuz I am afraid of heights but as usual the falcons compel me to do things I didn't think I could or would do!  Out of there and on to Pickering where within a few minutes I spotted a falcon, then another one showed up. They acted like a pair echupping and flying with each other. We had about 2 hrs. or so of watching them before they left us."

We definitely had two falcons on what looked like a balloon-like structure from our view point. The water tower was a long distance away on the south side of the Power Plant. We are pretty sure based on size that the male was on top of the water tower, and Quest was on the ring at the base. I don't know if I was seeing things after going through so many pictures, but I thought I saw an antenna in 2 photos out of over 300 shots taken.  At dusk the two falcons took off flying and echupping.  Wonderful sounds!  One flew north and we found the other on the stills.  That was the closest location of the day.  We got so excited to see the sun setting on the falcon.  As we watched and watched, we couldn't see any antenna, and none in the photos.  So Quest alluded us again from getting clear pictures of her. 

Tomorrow is another day, and we will be up early hoping she will be there again with her mate.

So perhaps one of the reasons Peregrines pick power plants to hang out at is for the warmth they produce. I'm down with calling them stills. Joyce, whatever speeds up your texting I'm all for it!

Yeah, yeah ...I know my texting is the slowest.  If anyone could see me trying to get out a quick watch report  - it takes forever!  My cell keys are so small that I have to type with a finger nail.  And it's hard to concentrate when you're being asked "Are you done yet?"

wouldn't it be nice if the powers that be would let a nest box be put up for the PPE

Ya never know BC, I think they took one down from over there a while ago, (if I'm not mistaken). I read online somewhere they had a nest box over there for years and no falcons showed up. Figures now they like it. 

Maybe it wasn't in the right location.  The watchers have some suggestions on where a good location might be from our viewpoint based on the activity and walkways at the plant. 

We will probably have to wait until Spring to confirm an actual pair has chosen this site.  Then DEC will become involved. 

We don't know if the male that was here for a short time will return, or if PPE will find a new mate.  We're confident our Midwest falcon likes it here. Because of the areas of warmth, it is possible she will stay all winter to lay claim to the territory.

On Saturday, one of the workers (John) stopped by while Brain, Mak and I were there.  His shift was over and he wanted to see where the falcon was.  Unfortunately our Midwest female had taken off before he arrived. 

John said the word is out inside and and they often check their cameras, but don't see anything.  They get a big kick out of seeing us sitting in our chairs watching.  Brian explained where the KP falcon can usually be found if the workers happen to look out on the south side.  He referred to what we called the rockets as stills.  I kind of like calling them that better, since that is what they are, and it is shorter to text.

We gave him a card so he could check out the rfalconcam website.  It sure sounds like they are excited to have a peregrine falcon at their power plant.

Joyce

Maybe that's why Beauty was spotted flying north past Kodak Office...to get a view of who is is hanging around Kodak Park.  I'm sure the falcons are keeping an eye on each other. 

It will get interesting in the Spring, but wait...we are likely to have wintering falcons too.  I'm still checking the abandoned Med building on Elmwood Ave.  Nothing spotted yet.

Joyce

Accessing the radar is great for me.  I can see what's going on at work in Buffalo as well as what the Watchers have to contend with in Rochester.  Then visa-versa on the weekends.  Thanks so much for the new feature!

Joyce

Always great to see a watcher's viewpoint from a different perspective.  It will be interesting to see if the adult Black Crowned Night Heron and juvenile hang around.  Let us know if you spot it with all of this ugly rushing water.

[MAKfalcon (MAK):]

MAKfalcon (MAK): 4 the 1st time I saw A and B work together catching prey. A flushed out pigeons B stooped and missed. They both put on a show flying up  ...

This is one of the most exciting watches by Archer & Beauty in a long time.  So glad Makadoodle was there to see it, experience it, and report it.  They have been very elusive lately when many of the watchers have gone downtown.  I've only been lucky to see them on Xerox after the sun sets. A&B are really bonded now.

I searched the Midwest Peregrie Database (purple USFWS band) for female peregrines with black over red (b/r) band on left leg.  Since PPE has adult plumage, she would have to be born 2008 or earlier. Generally most peregrines stay within a certain radius from the original nestsite. Most of our falcons travel around the Great Lakes.  Based on the numbers, PPE might be from Illinois.

Joyce

Not sure if we can rule out a 2009 bird.  Stormin hatched in 2009 and he's in full adult plumage.  Just a thought...

Good grief Ei, you could be right.  That would put 113 more females into the mix.  I guess we'll just have to wait and see.  I was using the 2-year theory (2008) because this peregrine was truly all gray, and I didn't see any brown in the feathers.

What makes some peregrines grow up faster than others?

Joyce

[So, do we have a Canadian tiercel with a Midwest female (possibly from Illinois)?]

Tuesday evening at Kodak Park (9/21), I was standing behind Carol with my camera braced on a pole, and she was in front of me looking through her scope. We were both looking at the male Silver (banded) Pigeon Eater (SPE) from the same angle.

Carol yelled he is moving. I snapped some shots. When the falcon flew, Carol told the watchers (Dana, Mak, Brian, Shaky, Carrie & me) she thought SPE had an all black band. Since it was a 50-50 chance of being either black/black or black/green, she was strongly leaning towards black/black.

Being that it was dusk, she couldn't be 100% positive. I went through all of my photos this evening, and one photo looks like the falcon has an all-dark band. Because of the lighting and picture graininess when enlarged, I can't tell any colors. See photo below.

So, do we have a Canadian tiercel with a Midwest female (possibly from Illinois)?

I searched the Midwest Peregrie Database (purple USFWS band) for female peregrines with black over red (b/r) band on left leg.  Since PPE has adult plumage, she would have to be born 2008 or earlier. Generally most peregrines stay within a certain radius from the original nestsite. Most of our falcons travel around the Great Lakes.  Based on the numbers, PPE might be from Illinois.

11 possible b/r females hatched in 2008 were from Illinois; 4 from Iowa (not likely)
No b/r banded females in 2007
2 b/r females from Kentucky in 2006
No b/r females in 2001-2005
3 b/r females in 2000 from Illinois
1 b/r female in 1999 from Michigan; 13 other possibilities were from Indiana, Missouri, Iowa (not likely)

Hope we get to confirm the IDs soon.

Joyce

Carol - Please relay to the Merchandising Committee the apprehension of some to be on eBay and use PayPal. 

I have a friend who suggested getting a PayPal account linked to a completely separate savings or checking account, and she only keeps a limited amount of money in that account for PayPal purchases only. She places money in that account only when she is interested in bidding on something of interest.  This way it does not jeopardize any of her other credit account information, and she maintains control of what she purchases.

I may do that, because I've felt left out of not being able to bid on any of the rfalconcam items. I am still apprehensive about how secure is secure with online shopping - - especially when you hear that retail accounts have been hacked into and customer credit cards and personal information are at risk.

Joyce

Thanks Annette for keeping us up to date.  Is there any intention to put the nestbox back on the water tower?  That seems like the place the falcons like the most.

I wonder if Sheila was so distressed about her nesting place, that she was run off when Ava was demonstrating territorial behavior.  It seems that everyone assumes death, and I am not so sure.  Look what happend to Wind when Rhea Mae took over.  2 years later she appears.  And, when Kaver did not return, was it because he and Mariah were unable to renew their bonds at their nesting place, because it was taken down?  Perhaps like Mariah, she realized it was time to move on, and is out there wandering somewhere, or even with a new mate. 

There are so many questions that we don't have the answers to.  Now we are watching a new pair in Rochester.  It will be interesting to see how they interact in the off season, and then what happens in the Spring.

[THANK YOU BIG FRANK!]

I just read Frank's news...you know the area he's in is around where Quest's last tracking shows her at the start of September.  Wonder if she's run into her nephew at all  

Here's the link to his video of Stormin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x7dx0T35ZA

It is so great to hear sightings of our legacy falcons once they have become adults!  Carol sent Frank a nice thank you and he sent back three more photos and mentioned the video Carly shared. 

In Frank's words...  "Here is a short video clip I did, the other photos I have are much the same as the ones I sent... 2509 shows a very full Stormin.  2469 shows the long view. Fortunately the neighbors understood when I explained what I was doing. I will take them a decent photo and CPF postcard with info about the bird that visited them. --Frank"

THANK YOU BIG FRANK!   We appreciate all your watch reports!

One of Mariah's offspring's offspring has been spotted.  Rhea Mae's 2009 male STORMIN (and M&K's grandfalcon) has been sighted by BIG FRANK.

"I walked out my side door,on the way to raptor watch at Rosetta McClain Gardens today at about 8am. What to my wonderous eyes did appear but a Peregrine Falcon eating a Northern Flicker atop a neighbors tv anetena,at Hollis and Birchmount. Immediately I set to trying to get the band number. First I noticed the obvious it was an adult. I thought at first it was a female,but indeed it was a male. Saw coloured tape over the USFW band,which was blue. CPF puts coloured tape over the USFW bands,when the young are banded so we can more easily identify which young Peregrine is which at fledge watch time.  Thought I read one band number but on review of the photos the band number is 30/Y Black background White letters/numbers,which means Canadian..confirms its one CPF banded.  I did a quick search and this Peregrine is Stormin,who was banded on May 28th,2009 at The Sheraton Hotel in downtown Toronto. Stormin had been spotted at the Leslie Street Spit earlier this spring and photographed  April 22 of 2010. I watched as Stormin devoured the Flicker,before ummm getting to flight weight if you know what I mean,and taking off to the west. Likely spotted again about an hour later by Pat and Nancy at Warden and Danforth. The photos are abit bloody so dont look if you are gentile. Have a stack more pics but this is a sample. The first shows the blue tape,the 2nd shows a beautiful shot of Stormin and lastly a reasonable shot of the band. Rest assured I was able to see in that and other photos the band numbers/letters.
I will post to the CPF website tonight on the Sheraton site,and on the International News,so the Rochester Ladies see it for sure. - - Frank"

[All I can say is... WOW! What a list!]

All I can say is... WOW! What a list!