(movie) Beauty (?) on FCT!

Looks like it!  Good catch!  

Kudos to the cameraman.  

Totally Kudos to the man behind the curtain!!  


p.s. Are we going to see your album from your Alaskan trip? Sayin

That is exactly where I left Beauty at 1 pm.  Archer was below her to the right, but further into the framework facing north.  Thanks for swinging the camera over there Shaky.   

Kaver was seen by both Brian and I after the Tiercel was found at UofR.  I saw that Tiercel.  It was not Kaver.  What happened to him will forever be a mystery, especially since he is unbanded.  

Everyone on this forum has different opinions, different feelings about what happened in the past and what is happening now.  It's good that we all "talk" about it.  

I don't remember reading that you and Brian saw Kaver after the dead tiercel was found.  The story I remember was that you were asked to look at the dead tiercel and didn't think it was him but took pics to other watchers to look at to see if they thought it was him. Then one of the watchers said she saw Kaver that same day and had taken a pic, the pic had a timestamp on it that indicated that the picture of Kaver was taken after the dead tiercel had been reported found at U of R.

That was the picture that Kathy O took with her phone.  The timing was determined to be too close to say.  Brian and I separately saw Kaver well after the Tiercel had died at the U of R.  I believe it was a day or so later.  My sighting was Mariah and Kaver on the communication tower and Brian's sighting, if I remember correct, was somewhere downtown.  Both M&K on Midtown maybe, can't remember.  I'll have to ask him.

Both of us are very sure we saw him.  As I said, I'm afraid we'll never know what happened to our Kaver.

Donna - I agree that Kaver would have returned if he could to his Mariah.  I also like to think he's out there somewhere, flying free.

I totally agree Paul. 

Kaver was the King of Stealth.  He could disappear in the blink of an eye!  Poof!  Gone!  We all suspected that he had his very own Scotty somewhere.   

I find myself slipping into the falcons' rhythm, relaxing when the relax, active when they are active. However, I'll reach for my water bottle or start watching a Great Blue Heron, and that's when the falcons go back into action! Often, when I look back, I'll find either no falcons or more falcons.  It all goes to show that the falcons are much better at watching me then I am at watching them.  If one wants to enter the world of the Peregrine Falcon, one must imitate their relaxed alertness!

Paul

Kaver was seen by both Brian and I after the Tiercel was found at UofR.  I saw that Tiercel.  It was not Kaver.  What happened to him will forever be a mystery, especially since he is unbanded.  

Everyone on this forum has different opinions, different feelings about what happened in the past and what is happening now.  It's good that we all "talk" about it.    

The first Falcon love of my life was Kaver, I truly do not think he ever left Rochester (if you go back and read the old Kfalcon posts Mariah was hanging out in all of his old spots I think she was looking for him) I respect Mariah what a lady. I do not like what happened to her and was not thrilled with Beauty or Archer for that very reason. I wish we knew exactly where she is and maybe Mr T went and  found her (ya just never know.)

But then A&B gave us Calli and Jemison. They earned my "grudging" respect. Now it drives me crazy when everybody says how sorry they are for Beauty. She is a fierce falcon and not an object of pity. She has earned my loyalty and I care about her, but I love Archer he is Kaver's grandson. He has not slighted either of his ladies. I think the problem this year was not having two females, I think it was enviromental there seemed to be a lot of problems out there this year. Watching Beauty protect her eggs during that storm getting soaked, such dedication and all for eggs that were not fertile, now that you can feel sorry about.

In a perfect world each of "our" girls would have their own mates. But I fear if a tiercel moves in over the winter there will be a territorial battle. Archer will not give up some of his territory without one.

I hope next year, things work out that there are so many eyas in and around Rochester that the watchers don't know which way to look.

This year it  was a joy to watch Quest, Kendal and Harlie and not to forget the little Cinni mini

Thanks for continuing to share updates on S2's condition with us Kris.   

I'm reading Paul's post as Quest was in Schenectady in July 1, 2008 and possibly Harlie is on her own travels since she is 10 later this year than Quest was in 2008.  I'm reading Paul as saying that might be why we have not seen Harlie lately.  Am I reading this wrong???

That's the way I'm reading it too! I think maybe CarolP is a bit tired after a long week!!! 

   Yeah, way too long a week MAK!  I really need a vacation.  Vacation?  What's a vacation?  Sorry about that.  I didn't even see the year.     

Patti - I remember the first time I met you.  I was at the east end of the pedestrian bridge and you were walking towards me from the west end.  I saw you and checked you out with my binoculars (they are so useful for so many things).  I just knew you were there to see the Falcons!  Gee, what was my first clue?  The binoculars, camera, backpack and a parka jacket on a nice warm morning.   

And let's not forget the man MAK saw a few mornings doing his business next to the dumpsters!!! Now see, there's always something going on!!   Never a dull moment!

Donna - Your little smilies crack me up.  

Let's see, I've seen people doing their business many times. I've seen couples doing their business three times now (ask Dawn about the first time and Joyce and a whole bunch of Watchers the 2nd time, the 3rd time I was by myself).  I've seen homeless men sleeping under blankets of newspapers on cold mornings.   I've seen a young couple on a bench on the pedestrian bridge enjoying an evening together get covered from head to toe in bird poop as a Great Blue Heron flew overhead.  They never knew what caused their, ummm, problem; but the Watchers had seen the whole thing!

Oh, and I was questioned by the police after a robbery at ES&L (a bank at Kodak office).  The officers asked me if I had seen a young man with a dew rag and a bag of money run by.  I was there by myself on the pedestrian bridge, with my camera and binoculars.  I said to the officer, no, I think I would have noticed someone running down the bridge with a big bag of money and I would have taken his picture for you!  That got me a smile.

Then there was the man Dana and I found laying on the ground behind the building across the street from KO.  We really did think he might be dead because we couldn't see him breathing.  Dana was on her phone calling 911 while I approached him to see if he was ok.  As I got closer, he jerked (and so did I!) and turned and starting snoring softly.  Thank God!  The 911 operator promised to send a police officer immediately to check him out.  

That is one thing we were good at, keeping the pedestrian bridge and the surrounding area safe.  I don't know how many times we would see something going on that we didn't like.  All it took was for one of us to raise our camera and point it at them and poof!  they were gone!

Oh! and I've seen a movie being filmed on the gorge floor (The Alphabet Killer) and Kathy O and I were in a movie as an extra!  We had to sign a release.    and firemen repelling off the bridge to the ground below.  and big rocks falling off the gorge wall and hitting the water below, KA-BOOM! and a whole herd of deer skating across the ice covered river and icicles larger than houses (well maybe I exagerate) hanging off the gorge wall.  and we saved a whole family of Ducks, mom and her 10 tiny babies.

The good things far outweigh the bad.  The incredibly nice people that would approach us, people from all over the world and from home, and ask us what we were looking at made it all worthwhile.  I have made so many close, dear friends over my years of Falcon Watching, on this board and everywhere.  I am forever grateful for that.  

So, my answer is no, Falcon Watching is never boring for me.  

 

Happy Birthday Annie!  Enjoy the day doing the things you love to do!

 

Yikes!  I'm a little surprised, but maybe she's traveling with Harlie?  Interesting.  Thanks for posting the map Paul.

Just one more thought...

Rochester's "lack-luster" year gave all of us the time to pay attention to Quest and Harlie.  Think about it  

That's exactly what I said to Dana the other day Janet.  Look at all the things we were able to see and accomplish this year because of NOT having fledglings to watch.  Helping out with two rescues at CT Buffalo and helping out with the fledge watch at the many nest sites.  Visiting and helping out with fledge watches with our good friends up in Canada.  Seeing Rhea Mae, Quest, Linn, and all their mates and young and attending all the banding days.  and Stormin!  How awesome was that!  He is a very special Tiercel and an M&K Grandkid.  This has been an outstanding year as far as I'm concerned.

But next year, I do hope we have young of our own again.  Absolutely nothing beats falcon fledge watching here in our home city.  As Dorothy said to the Wizard, "There's no place like home.  There's no place like home."  

Like Shaky said,

"There are many dedicated people who keep it all going.

I just fill in the cracks."

It is really about the Rochester Falcon Folks.  Just think what an entertaining year it has been on this forum and that's without fledglings in Rochester.  I absolutely had to check out the falcon soap opera every day.  Little did you guys know you had a real romance novel brewing in Toronto.  I had hoped to get up there in July, but life got in the way.  (I really do go up to see the fledglings.)  And I LOVE visiting with everyone.  You all seem to be so happy to see anyone who posts or watches the forum.  The Genesee River that flows through the center of town is quite beautiful as is Lake Ontario.

Trust me, the falcon fledglings will be there in abundance next year.  Don't forget, you have three relatively young falcons determining territories and pecking order.  Let's keep our fingers crossed and our eyes to the skies and on the internet.

We missed you too this year Bonnie!   

...and Shaky who keeps it all going...             

There are many dedicated people who keep it all going.

I just fill in the cracks.

Yes!  Shaky is the SPACKLE that binds us together.   

Here, here Janet!  When the Falcons are sitting and snoozing, there are so many things to Watch!  Never boring.  

Oh, put those other "things" in the mix and the entertainment doesn't stop - especially in urban areas or where people are gathered    The "things" you see!  

Oh, Janet, my friend.  You have no idea (well maybe you have! lol) the things we've seen while watching Falcons!  Things you CANNOT put in a Falcon Watch Report!  It's very interesting, ahem!  

Cool video Donna, I loved that dog's face!

Hi Robin!  How are you doing?   

For those that don't know Robin, she named Aura from 2006.  That year it was Rhea Mae, Sabrina aka Valiant and Aura aka Golden Aura.