Happy Birthday!!!


Paul

The Rochester Falcon Watchers request the pleasure of your company at the Falcon Dance.   
 
Brian -- creation, direction, and performance
Dancers -- Watcher's Weekend participants 
Joyce -- communications and coordination
Paul --  videography, editing, audio mixing
Shaky -- YouTube submission (be sure and check out the rfalconcam YouTube channel)

Catering -- A&B Take Out (formerly Changing Scenes) "Food that wasn't quite fast enough"
Accomodations -- Radisson, Hyatt Regency, Rochester Plaza, Statue of Mercury
Commentary and critical analysis -- Buddy the Gull
Close-in tactical air support -- Archer, Beauty, and Callidora
Filmed on location at Aquaduct Park in the heart of Rochester's Falcon District
Produced by Common Mergansers on Lake Winnipesaukee, NH, via Verizon Mobile Broadband
 
Do the bird!
Spread the word!
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci0tNSkv0NM
 
Paul
 
PS -- also viewable at higher detail on Blip TV at http://www.blip.tv/file/4007581

Wow, I'm likin your trips Paul. Very nice place. Did you get videos of the loons calls?

This video comes to mind. Lots of family interaction here, plus the "wail" as a contact call when the parents are a long distance apart.

Paul

We saw lots of wildlife during our second week on the island.  Both Mary and Catherine saw lots of Meadow Voles, a species that I had never seen there before.  Unfortunately, I never saw a single one.  I did, however, get to spend time with a lot of local critters whole learning to use my new Fujifilm HS10 camera.

Here   is the story of our second week on Sandy Island, and here is a Classic version that does not require the latest Flash.

Enjoy,

Paul

Hope you will also find a way for us Luddites to see it as well.  I'm limited to a "not the latest" version of Flash, by the version of OS X I have.  My Son's advice for me to get a new computer is not an alternative at this point.  Since I lived for many years on both sides of Lake Winnipesaukee, your presentations are extra enjoyable for me  
Carol
now in WV

Hi Carol,

How does the Classic version work for you?  I confess I'm not fond of Flash either and wish it would go away.

Paul

It's fixed both here and in the original post.  Sorry!

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Paul

We just returned from two weeks on Sandy Island, in New Hampshire's Lake Winnipesaukee.   It began with getting up at 4 AM, but quickly got much better.  The highlight was climbing Mount Major and picking blueberries in the cool breeze on top, but it was all pretty good.

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Paul

Thanks for a great story and pictures. 
All I can say is "Wow!"

Paul

Thanks Shaky!
I went through your slideshow, thinking of my own trips to the Cape, when suddenly, WOW - there's a whale!  Quite a surprise, and what a great trip.

Paul

This was a great album!  It was long, but still shorter than Gone With The Wind.  Unlike GWTW, it featured Golden Mantled Ground Squirrels, mountains, and glaciers, which made it much more enjoyable to watch.  There is no popcorn on the small island where we are vacationing, so I made do with an orange soda and the sound of waves on rocks.

Paul

Many thanks for bringing this site to my attention.  After following the fortunes of the gallant Lady, I am awed by what a magnificent bird the Osprey is. 

I have to admit that I have failed to visit any of these wonderful birds this season. There must be ten nests within a few minutes of my home, so I really have no excuse.  I guess all my birding time was spent with Peregrines.  (It's OK to admit that, since this is a falcon board, right?)

I'll make a resolution to spend quality time with local Osprey next spring.  In the meantime, I'll imagine the Lady soaring over the ocean to West Africa, so there will be Osprey in my dreams, if not in my life.

Paul

I did a little bit of research.  In 2008, Quest fledged on June 21 -- just one week earlier in the year than Callidora did.  Exactly 40 days later, she was in Duanesburg, NY, on her way to Cape Cod.  So if Callidora follows Quest's schedule, she will be leaving for good sometime this week.  

It's sad for me to see the falcon season end, but it's a good feeling to know that one more falcon has been reared to independance.

Paul

Fidget wanted two things -- a cold drink and a relaxing bath.  He found an elegant solution that worked out much better for himself than for me and my ice water.

Paul

Zuzu, our favorite Southern Flying Squirrel, stopped by our window to for a meal last night.  Our house guests from San Francisco were understandably delighted.  She was accompanied by Zaza, a larger squirrel who is very shy and is a less frequent visitor.

Paul

I'll defer to C&C's judgement, because they have spent a lot of time observing falcons in different environments, much more than I have.  

However, my local site in Cabin John, MD has many similarities with the Brookpark Road Bridge site -- both are beneath major highway bridges spanning a heavily wooded rivercourse.  Between the bridge structure and all the trees, the juveniles have many places to hide.  The very hot weather gives them little incentive to fly unless they are really hungry. Usually, after I have been watching for an hour or two, one will magically appear out of nowhere and start loudly yelling for food.

I agree that there is a good chance that Warrior is dead.  However, if Warrior is alive and behaving like my juveniles, it would be easy to miss him/her, especially if observing periods were limited.

Paul