Thanks ladies, this is my first loss on site and I have to say it's a bit harder than I thought it would be.  I'd like to think our sweet girl is soaring the skies with William now and watching over their brothers and sisters. 

To lose one of these beautiful creatures is never easy.  They seem so indestructible,  so bold, but they're not.  They are fragile and precious and the loss of one affects us all.

Fly Free Jupiter!      

That was very nice Kris.  Thanks!  Glad to see Wild Wings in there.   

My niece took these pics in my moms yard not too long ago. Sandhill Crane mom and baby. Every year they come there.

Very nice pics Donna's niece.     Thanks for sharing them with us Donna.

Hey Anne.  I know the fledge watch is winding down, but I hope you can still continue to watch them learn to fly.  That was always the fun time for the Rochester Watchers, after nervously watching them fledge.  It is hard to watch there though.  Too many tall buildings.  Enjoy this time with them.

Thanks so much to you, Linda and all the other CPF Watchers that helped keep Rhea Mae and Tiago's young ones safe.  Bravo!  

One parenting skill that always fascinates me is the flying assist...a new flier starts getting tired on a long flight and starts losing altitude.  Then Mom or Dad or both arrive and fly under the youngster, sometimes touching, boosting them higher and higher until they get where they're going safely. 

The first time I heard of Mariah doing it I couldn't believe she was so talented, though we KNOW she's the best peregrine Mom ever .  Then I heard of another, and another...someone reported a Buffalo parent-was it Stella or BB?-doing it just recently.  Apparently it's all part of peregrine parenting 101!

Yes, Ei.  I posted that Stella flew with Lehigh and guided him safely to a lower building before returning to the Central Terminal.  Just like Mariah guided Isaura back to the Kodak Tower.  Last year, when Jemison took off for the first time, Beauty was right there with him making sure he didn't go too far from the Times Square building.  You never get tired of seeing this.   

Kaver feeding Mariah-- from the cameras

Oh, thank you for that picture Jeanne!  That's it exactly!   

A HUGE thanks to Joyce, who has spent the last few evenings keeping watch over the young at Central Terminal in Buffalo.

Thanks Joyce!!!   

I think it was Alkyonis here that was rescued a couple of times and had issues.  She was seen, last year I think, to everyone's amazement.  She was a bit before my time so Carol, Shaky or one of the other watchers could probably provide details.  

I really think the non feeding was cause they were trying to coax them to fly and be able to lift off.  But what the heck do I know?!

Yes, you are correct Jeanne, Alkyonis was one of our problem children.  She came down twice.  The first time was near the Kodak Tower.  The Watchers were able to rescue her and get her to the vet.  She had a bit of a droop in her wing and she was kept in rehab for quite awhile.  Then she was released at the tower.

Not long after that, Lisa came to me and said that she just got a call from June.  There was a downed Falcon at the animal services bldg just north of the Kodak Tower.  We both went over to make sure that it was a Peregrine and if so which one.  We got a quick look of her and we were able to positively ID her as Alkyonis.  Again she was released.  

Imagine our surprise last year when we received word that she had been positively ID'd.  After her rocky start, she made it to adulthood.  What an awesome surprise.  

[Peregrine Parenting 101 - Mariah & Kaver - Carol P on 6/29/11]

Peregrine Parenting 101 - Mariah & Kaver - Carol P on 6/29/11
We know that each pair is different.  Different habits and habitats.  Different behaviors and actions.  
Most of my knowledge comes from watching Mariah and Kaver for many years.  Studying them really.  I love to Watch them and learn about them.  Either on Falconcams or in person.  They fascinate me.  So, back to Mariah and Kaver.  To me they were outstanding parents.  Nothing would stop them from caring for their young and making sure that each and every one of them was taken care of.  From the littlest eyas to the largest.  All were taken care of.   We would see Mariah first feed the larger eyases that pushed to the front.  When they had their full, or she determined they had enough, she would switch to the other side of the nest box in a flash.  Now the little ones were in the front.  If a larger eyas attempted to push the little ones aside, Mariah would step between them, leaving the smallest in front of her.  This was amazing behavior to me.

Something changed in 2006.  Mariah was badly injured.  By herself, she could not care for or feed her young.  When Kaver pulled that eggshell out from under him, I knew immediately, something was wrong.  Where was Mariah?  She had never missed the hatch of one of her eyases.  That year Kaver became a superdad.

I was talking to Kenn on the phone.  He was getting video snippets off of main cam.  We ended up sending them to Peregrine experts in the US & Canada.  We needed their advice.  While I was on the phone with Kenn, he got really quiet.  He said "OMG!"  I said "What! What's wrong!"  Kenn said in a hushed, incredulous voice, "He's feeding her."  Kaver was doing something the "experts" said a Tiercel would NOT do.  Feed the female if she were injured.  Not only was he feeding her, she was taking the offered food and feeding the three eyases below her.  You have to understand, Mariah's foot was badly injured.  She could not put weight on it.  When she flew, it dangled below her.  When she landed, she usually collapsed and fell forward.  Landing on one foot was hard.  When Kenn said those words, I started to cry.  I admit it freely.  What could have been a tragic year, turned into a very good summer.  Mariah healed and three young eyases learned to master the skies of Rochester.  One was Sabrina aka Valiant, who is nesting and raising young at the Ogdensburg bridge and one is Rhea Mae.  

Let's use this area to post information about Peregrine parenting.  Whether it be Mariah & Kaver, Archer & Beauty, Rhea Mae & Tiago and any other Peregrine Pairs.  I think this would be an invaluable tool.  Feel free to post, but try to keep it on topic.  Post anything you know of or remember about Peregrine family life.  

Beautiful pictures Dana.  11 Rochester Falcon Watchers received invites to this wonderful event.  Shaky, Carrie, Susan C, Tim, Lynda, Joyce, MAK, Kathy O, Dana, Lisa McK, & Carol P.  We were the special guests of Mark Nash and the Canadian Peregrine Foundation.  We were very thankful and honored to witness yet another chapter in the M&K Legacy book.  

When it's your time Harlequin, fly free and strong little one.  The eyes of the world will be watching.  

[wnyfalconfan (Joyce):]

wnyfalconfan (Joyce): News from CT: Phoebe Snow was rescued and returned to roof.

Link:
http://twitter.com/wnyfalconfan/statuses/85417772355551233

Great news!  Thanks DEC for rescuing Phoebe Snow and returning her to her family, where she belongs.  and thanks to Joyce, MAK, Sage, Roger and Martie, who found Phoebe Snow.   

Awesome pictures Dana and Lou!   

Be sure to check the Falcon Watch Blog for two Fledge Watch reports/pics from Central Terminal (Buffalo, NY) from MAK and I (Carol P).  It was a great falcon fledge watch weekend.  Happy we could help out.   

More trouble for the CT fledglings.  I was worried this morning about the two females that had fledged yesterday, one (Chessie) having to be rescued.  When we left last night, both males were safely high up on the tower and both females were settled on the lower roofed building just left of the main tower.  I verified with Joyce that she and MAK would be there this morning and she said that yes they would.

At 12:40 pm, I received a call from Sage.  Chessie and the boys were fine, but they were concerned about Phoebe Snow (P-S).  Martie, who works at the Central Terminal, came for a visit and was told about the missing fledgling.  He immediately volunteered to go in and check on her through the windows above the roof that she was last seen on.

While I was on the phone with Sage, Martie returned.  He found P-S in what he called (I could hear him over the phone) a light well.  This well is three stories deep and about 20 feet wide.  Room for her to move around and flap, but too deep for her to get out of without help. 

I told Sage to call Jackie W from the DEC, who I had been in touch with about the rescue of Chessie yesterday. 

Hopefuly Jackie will be on site soon and P-S will be safely back under the eye of her concerned parents.

I actually love talking about all the Mariah and Kaver family tree.

Let's see if I have this right.  It's late and I have to get up early to get to Buffalo to check on the Central Terminal Gang.

Freedom is M&K's 1st son.
Archer is Freedom and Purity's first son.
Making Archer M&K's grandson.

Rhea Mae is M&K's daughter.
Cinnamon is Rhea Mae's son.
Making Cinnamon M&K's grandson.

Freedom and Rhea Mae are brother and sister.
Rhea Mae is Archer's aunt.
Freedom is Cinnamon's uncle.

So that make them cousins!  Hahahaha!  Don't you have a headache now?  I do!  

Nite all!!!
Carol P.