Yay!  Dale's Falcon Raps!  Woohoo!  Love them!   

Something tells me a few of them will be hitting the Rochester Falcons Story section sometime soon.   

If anyone else has anything they would like to share, please feel free to send them either to me (Carol P) at libbymybird @ yahoo. com (no spaces) or Ei at dumpsterkitty11 @ gmail. com (no spaces).

Thanks to Patty from KY, Kris G, Jeanne, Paul and Dale for their offers to volunteer to help with the Rochester Falcons Project.  We realize that the holidays are coming and time is limited for most of us.

 

And me! 

Of course!  and MAK too!.  I've actually asked MAK to start looking into Beauty's pre-Rochester history.  Thanks MAK!!!!   

[MEGA ROCSTAR!]

Drum Roll Please!  pdpdpdpdpdpdpdpdpdpd (that's a drum roll if you didn't know)   

Time to update the numbers on the tote board!

Our new total is $937.46!

 

WooHoo!  You guys/gals are AWESOME!  MAK's correct Janet.  You are a MEGA ROCSTAR!  Thanks so much for your very generous donation.   

I just went in and gave my donation to Rfalconcam.  It's so easy to do.   What a great idea.

Visit www.roctheday.org and type rfalconcam into the search field.

Thanks everyone!   

OK Folk!  I just tossed in $500.00.  Come on people!  $5.00 each.  Come on!  Tax Deductible.  Beat me!  Come on!  Beat me!

Oh my goodness Janet!  Thank you so much for your generosity and thanks to everyone that is donating to the Rochester Falconcam.  You guys/gals are THE BEST!   

Yay!  Dale's Falcon Raps!  Woohoo!  Love them!   

Something tells me a few of them will be hitting the Rochester Falcons Story section sometime soon.   

If anyone else has anything they would like to share, please feel free to send them either to me (Carol P) at libbymybird @ yahoo. com (no spaces) or Ei at dumpsterkitty11 @ gmail. com (no spaces).

Thanks to Patty from KY, Kris G, Jeanne, Paul and Dale for their offers to volunteer to help with the Rochester Falcons Project.  We realize that the holidays are coming and time is limited for most of us.

 

Love your card Kris.  Thank you!  

Come on everyone.  This is the time to send your greetings to Donna so she can post them on the forum.  

[Time to Get the Rochester Falcon History Project Under Way!]

You've probably been wondering why I decided to open a Rochester Falcons Story section.  I wanted to show how easy and fun it is to look up information within the rfalconcam site.  Please consider helping out with this very important project.   

Time to Get the Rochester Falcon History Project Under Way!

Now that winter is almost here, it's the perfect time to start gathering information for the Rochester Falcon History Project.

Below is a list of volunteers.  Please verify by Monday, December 12th if you are still able to help with the project.  If you are not listed and you would like to help out, please respond here by Monday, May 12th.  All help is welcomed. 

After we have our volunteers, each of you will be assigned a "section" to work on.  We will start by assigning a year to each volunteer.  It will be your job to gather information about that year in a central area that all of you will be able to access.

We have set up a Wiki page on PBworks where each volunteer can add information.  Each of you will be sent log in information.  If using the page directly turns out to be a problem for anyone we’ll figure something out.  We’ve set up a sample assignment page, but none of this is written in stone…all suggestions are welcome-giving most volunteers a year to work on.

We think what we need to focus on first is just gathering the information that’s out there into one place.  This is all open for discussion.  For "your year" you would start by going into the postings made in that year on either Kfalconcam (KFC) or Rfalconcam (RFC).  Go through the postings looking for stories, historical tidbits, other interesting factoids and just copy & paste them onto your page.

Examples:
-I just went to July, 2004 on KFC & found a note from Paul Hamilton about Maryann from 2000 with mentions of 2001 & 2002. Rather than figure out where each piece should go, I copied & pasted it in 2004.
-Carol’s Mariah & the school children story just posted on RFC has been copied & pasted in 2011.  There’s no year listed, but it will most likely show up in an old KFC post too from when it happened.

Once everything is gathered, we can figure out when it all happened and put it all where it belongs.  There are other places to hunt for info, but we think a good starting point is our own boards.  Then we can write an actual history.

Thanks so much to all that are able to help out with this project.

Ei & Carol P - Rochester Falcon History Project Co-Administrators

List of Volunteers
Kris G.
Aafke
Donna
MAK
Karen R.
Patti from KY
Paul H.
Joyce
Ginha
Dale
Jeanne
Kathy O.
Annie in Toronto
Jim P.
Shaky
Brad C.
Lisa McK.
June S.

[Fledge Watch - Sunday, 6/27/10 (7:00 - 8:00 pm) - Jemison Fledges!]

As requested, here is my Fledge Watch report of Jemison's first sustained fledge flight.   

Fledge Watch - Sunday, 6/27/10 (7:00 - 8:00 pm) - Jemison Fledges!


Rochester Falcon Watcher:  Carol P.
 
I was downtown, along with many other Watchers, for a good part of today. During that time, there was a lot of flying by Archer and Beauty and a lot of flapping by Callidora & Jemison.
 
After a dinner break, I returned to find a whole lot of Watchers in attendance, Kathy O, Lisa McK, Joyce, Willie, Dan S, Dana, Lou, MAK & Marcia, Ralph & his wife (sorry I forgot your name).  I’m sure I’m missing someone.  I wasn’t on official Watch, so I wasn’t keeping track of names.
 
By 7 pm, there were only a handful of Watchers left, Marcia, Joyce, MAK, Lisa and I.  I felt really sorry for those that had just left, because that’s when the fun began.
 
We watched as Jemison flap, flap, flapped on top of the main camera.  and then……………………..off he went (he was banded as a small female, but I’ve started to think of him as a him, just my opinion)!
 
Jemison took flight!  Real, long, sustained flight.  Not just the short flight over to the other side of the Times Square bldg.  Jemison first flew out to the east towards the river.  Beauty zipped in from the Mercury statue where she had been for a long time.  It looked like she was physically pushing him back towards the Times Square bldg.  Stopping him from heading for the river.
 
Jemison flew back to the long section of the Times Square bldg on the south side, landing quite well.  Beauty landed above and kept watch.
 
Jemison flapped, hopped and skipped his way to the taller, front part of the building, coming up against a wall, which he attempted to climb, jumping up on small ledges until there were no more.  This didn’t stop him.  Off he went yet again, this time heading south, then east.  Again, Beauty was there to guide him back to the Times Square bldg, where he landed on the same section he had first landed on, except this time on the north side.  The remaining Watchers hurried to the other side.
 
Jemison was not happy where he was and was in constant motion, again heading towards the taller part of the building where the nest box was located.  He tried to climb again with no success.  Finally attempted a short flight up, but missing his target.  This time he fell down the face of the building, threw his wings out and started flapping again, heading east.  Jeanne had joined me at this point and I quickly told her what was happening.
 
He headed towards the east, again towards the river and Beauty put up a block.  She followed him very closely towards the Wilder building, where he landed at the top, south side.  Whew!  Safe yet again
 
For the next 15-20 mins, Jemison paced, flapped and hopped back and forth, making his way to the top of the fire escape that his parents were seen many times.
 
Again, off!  This time towards the Times Square bldg.  He first landed on the level above the nest box, rested a bit and then headed down to the level he had been flying to for two days.  One more short flight and he was safely back at the nest box.  Archer had returned during this last bit of flying.
 
We were all so excited to see Jemison flying so well.  He was getting altitude easily and flap, gliding and landing well.  I have to admit that he is probably one of the strongest first time fliers I’ve had the honor to watch.  Truly outstanding!
 
It was starting to rain, so we headed back to our cars.  Carla P joined us and we told her what had happened.  Beauty picked up a cache of food somewhere and flew up to land on a lower level with it.  She seemed to want to stay out of sight.  For some reason, she wasn’t ready to feed them.
 
We checked our watches and saw that it was 8 pm.  Jemison had been flying around for an hour.  We were ecstatic that he had done so well and had returned to the nest box safely.  Callidora was very happy too! 

I left as it started to rain harder, so I’m not sure when or if Beauty fed them.  Maybe Joyce or MAK will be able to report on this.
 
It was a long but very enjoyable day of Falcon Watching.

[Falcon Watch 06/28/10 2:00 - 5:00 pm –> Callidora Fledges]

Three first hand accounts of Callidora's Fledge Flight on June 28, 1010 - Taken from Watch Reports from Larry O, Carol P. & Jeanne.

Falcon Watch 06/28/10 2:00 - 5:00 pm –> Callidora Fledges
Larry O’Heron
 
Most of the watch was standard. However the last bit was most exciting.
 
Basically, Jemison flew from the box to the south east corner, as he did before.
 
However, Callidora became very excited to be with Jemison. Still at the box, Callidora started fanning. Thinking she was ready she took that step out into the air. However, things went to hell in a handbasket quickly. Instead of continuing across the gap to join Jemison, she quickly dipped to the left, carrying her out over Exchange St.
 
I was yelling how it was Callidora that was flying because all us watchers had spent the day discussing how Callidora would probably wait until Wednesday. No such luck.
 
As Callidora headed over Broad St, Archer and Beauty took off from their Time Square perches and headed after her. Even tho’ a building blocked my view of the last bit of her flight, I had a clear view of her heading towards the Wilder Bldg. I was confident that she landed on the roof.
 
Beauty landed on the fire escape of the Wilder Bldg. Archer kept circling overhead, clearly focused on Wilder. In the interim all thought of Jemison was lost until we had sighted Callidora.
 
Archer returned to Times Square. Jemision finally poked his head up on the south side. Beauty remained at Wilder. I headed down Broad to Exchange to get a look at the west side of the Wilder Bldg. Once I had crossed the street, I could see Callidora on the ledge on the west side. She was safe there.
 
Based on past experience, I felt Callidora would be all right. A & B will watch over her. They will bring her food until she can summon the strength to return. It may be a day or two, but she’ll get back.
 
When I left, Carol P, Jeanne and ?Madge? were on Exchange, looking up at Callidora.
 
She is in good hands - in the air, on the roof and on the ground.

************************************************

Fledge Watch - Callidora Fledges! (4-8:30 pm)

Rochester Falcon Watcher:  Carol P.
 
As Larry O reported, we were witness to Callidora’s first fledge flight.  It wasn’t pretty but most first time Peregrine flights aren’t. 

While Larry, Jeanne, Margaret and Darlene ran towards the intersection of Exchange and Broad to try to find her, I was on the phone with Jim P.  “Please move pancam down to the top of the Wilder Bldg.  Callidora just fledged and that’s where we think she landed!â€�  Jim quickly moved the camera and told me he could see her on the west side of the Wilder Bldg roof and she seemed to be in good shape.  Whew!
 
I joined the others near the Wilder bldg.  Callidora was above us, running up and down, wings flapping.
 
During the next few hours, more and more Watchers gathered to watch our newest fledgling.  Kathy O, Lisa McK, Dana, MAK, Jeanne, Margaret, Carla P, Joyce, Diana R, sorry if I missed anyone.
 
Callidora seemed content to walk and flap around the roof of the Wilder bldg while her brother Jemison took flight multiple times.  Each time joined by Archer and Beauty.  One time he made it over to the top of the Cross Rds bldg, which is just north of the Wilder bldg.  I really think he could have easily joined his sister at anytime.  He elected to keep flying with his parents, each time being returned to the Times Square bldg.
 
I left the other Watchers at 8:30 pm.  Archer had brought in food to Jemison at the nest box.  Both Archer & Beauty were on the Times Square bldg where they had a good view of Jemison and Callidora on the south side of the Wilder bldg.
 
I’m sure she’ll be perfectly safe where she is under the watchful eyes of both of her parents.  Tomorrow is another day of adventures for our young fledglings.  Stay tuned!

********************************************

A quick additional report 6/28 jeanne


I wasn’t on an official fledge but wanted to just add a few things. We had many watchers tonight including many passersby.

Callidora remains on the Wilder building tonight. She would walk and flap on various parts of the building but did not attempt another flight. There are some little finches and other little birds on that building and Callidora was walking to them! She also was looking down the fire escape at little birds! Jemison flew to the Crossroads building which is across the street from Calli. At one point, they were each on a corner of their respective buildings!
 
The most impressive– Jemison, Archer and Beauty were all in the air doing some great flying. And Beauty is trying to keep a rein on Jemison. She corrales him back to times square through close flying and some stooping on him!
 
No doubt Beauty and Archer have Callidora in their sight.

Finally, Mariah showed up in the nest box, but something was very wrong.  Kaver left and Mariah attempted to cover the newborn eyas.  In those days, we didn’t have streaming video to watch, so it was just static pictures every couple minutes.  She seemed to be using her wing for support and you could see that something was wrong with her foot or leg. 

I sat at my desk at work that day with tears streaming down my face, it's a good thing I didn't have any clients...
Carol
WV

Love this picture Carol.  Thank you for posting it.

05/11/06

Yes!  This is one of the pics from my story.  Thanks so much for posting it!   

You are very welcome Carla.  I love telling stories.  

Here's a summary of what happened in 2006.  This is what I remember.  Isn't looking up Rochester Falcon History fun?   

2006 M&K - The Bad Year

2006 started out as a very good year for the Rochester Falcons Mariah & Kaver.  Kaver returned on time from his migration.  He and Mariah immediately started to renew their bonds.  After four very successful seasons with this beautiful pair, all of us were looking forward to another year of watching young eyases grow and fledge and learn to be Peregrines.
 
Everything was going well.  In fact, things were going fantastically.  Mariah had laid six eggs!  SIX EGGS!  WOOHOO!  In past years she had laid, at most, five eggs.  The Kodak forum was alive with excitement!
 
As the expected hatch day approached, all eyes were glued to the Kodak Birdcam.  Mariah and Kaver shared brooding duties.  A couple of the forum members tracked the times that each of them spent on the eggs.  Mariah did most of the work, but Kaver so enjoyed sitting on “hisâ€� eggs that Mariah and he sometimes would get into “stand-offsâ€�.  Mariah would enter the nest box and hover above Kaver, getting closer and closer and Kaver looking everywhere but at Mariah.  It was very humorous to all that would watch.  Pictures would be posted minute by minute, catching every movement.  Most times Kaver would stand, stretch his wings and tentatively step over the eggs he so adored.  But every now and then, Mariah would just stand next to him, just touching.  They would remain that way for hours, content.  Those were the classic stand-offs.  Those were the moments we loved to watch.
 
Hatch day came.  Kaver was on the eggs.  I was watching intently along with everyone else.  I started to sense something was wrong.  Where was Mariah?  I hadn’t seen her on the eggs for a very long time.  That was so unlike her, especially when hatching was so close.  Kaver remained on the eggs, looking a little antsy.  He kept fidgeting, standing up and checking out the eggs, then sitting back down.  To my shock, he stood up again and pulled out a piece of egg shell.  No way!  Mariah NEVER missed a hatch.  Where was she?  I was really starting to worry.  That was the first time that an eyas had hatched under Kaver and he just looked so lost.
 
Finally, Mariah showed up in the nest box, but something was very wrong.  Kaver left and Mariah attempted to cover the newborn eyas.  In those days, we didn’t have streaming video to watch, so it was just static pictures every couple minutes.  She seemed to be using her wing for support and you could see that something was wrong with her foot or leg.  Something was desperately wrong.  I immediately called Kenn Martinez.  He was in control of the cameras back then and was able to see the streaming video.  He was able to capture some video snippets, showing Mariah’s movements and her curled up foot.  They were sent to the DEC and our friends at the Canadian Peregrine Foundation who shared them with Peregrine specialists up in Canada.  Everyone was worried.
 
The eggs continued to hatch.  Four young eyases made it into the world under a struggling Mariah and the watchful eye of Kaver.  One of them died in front of us as Mariah tried so hard to cover her four young ones.  The 5th eyas attempted to hatch, but did not make it and the 6th egg did not hatch at all.  Many tears were shed.  We had never before witnessed the death of an eyas.  As much as we all loved viewing these wild creatures year after year, that year we cried for their loss.
 
The experts had varying opinions, but it was obvious to all that Mariah had injured her foot somehow.  We would never know how.  All said she would either heal or she wouldn’t.  We all watched hoping that she and her three surviving eyases would be ok.
 
That year, Kaver became a super dad.  He did all the hunting, bringing in food continuously to Mariah and the eyases.  Just after Mariah showed up with her injury, I was on the phone with Kenn when Kaver came in with food.  Mariah was standing the best she could, leaning on her good foot & wing with the eyases in front of her.  She was unable to grab the food from Kaver like she usually would.  She couldn’t hold it down and tear off small pieces of meat to feed her fluffy white eyases.  Kenn was watching the streaming video.  I could only see one picture at a time, refreshing as frequently as I could.  All of sudden Kenn went silent and I heard him say “Oh My God…â€�  I said, What!  What’s wrong!  I feared the worse.  He said, “He’s feeding her.â€�  I started to cry.  They said this would not happen.  Again this incredible pair proved everyone wrong.  Kenn was able to save this snippet of film to send to the experts.  It showed Kaver biting off small chunks of meat and passing them to Mariah.  She would then lower her beak to the eyases, feeding them one by one.  Every now and then, she would take one of the morsels for herself.  I believe there was one picture captured of Kaver placing a piece into her beak.
 
Mariah got stronger and stronger.  She was finally able to put some weight on her injured foot.  Not relying on her wing as much for balance.  Just after her injury, I took flight shots of her with her leg dangling below her, not tucked in as usual.  Once I watched her fly up to Kaver and grab prey from him with her good foot.  She struggled to hang onto it, landing on the catwalk of the High Falls smoke stack.  She missed the landing on the railing and fell onto the floor of the catwalk.  She pulled herself up and hopped, dragging the prey with her to the edge of the catwalk.  She steadied herself and started to pluck feathers.  By mid summer, her foot was much better.  She was able to hunt on her own, but Kaver still did more than his share of hunting and feeding his eyases.
 
2006 began with joy, then sorrow, then hope, then joy.  That year many folks were privileged to watch this pairs’ struggle to raise their young.  That year three young eyases fledged from the nest box on top of the Kodak Tower.  Three strong fledglings named Rhea Mae, Aura and Sabrina.  The Rochester Watchers gathered on the pedestrian bridge above the Genesee River Gorge, with the beautiful High Falls in the background.  They watched three young fledglings learn to be Peregrines under the watchful eyes of their parents, Mariah & Kaver.
 
I had the honor that year of naming one of them.  Her name is Rhea Mae.  She and her brother Sabrina aka Valliant now have mates and are raising young of their own.  Rhea Mae is nesting on top of the Sheraton Hotel in Toronto with Tiago and Valliant is nesting with his mate on the Ogdensburg Bridge in NY.  Of Aura, we have no word.  She was the beautiful Golden Aura that year, very light in color in contrast to darker Rhea Mae.  We all hope she is doing well.

So, who remembers what happened in 2006?

 

http://www.theonion.com/articles/osprey-devours-lion-in-massive-foodchain-shakeup,26773/

Amazing that it only took 45 minutes for the Osprey to totally devour the full grown male lion.     

Love your card Janet!  Thank you!