Given the constant reports of snow falling in Rochester, I was surprised that there wasn't more of the stuff around when I briefly visited on Saturday.  It was just a thin, patchy cover on the ground.  In fact, there was no snow at all until a bit south of Elmira.

Paul

Wonderful!  Thank you Paul!  Which Finger Lake was that?  The depth of the water is what keeps those babies pretty ice-free and COLD!

You are welcome.  It was Canandaigua Lake.  It had more ice than most -- Seneca Lake was all clear water.

Paul

As some of you may know, I'm a flight instructor.  One of my students wanted to know if he could fly me to Rochester for a lesson.  Wow!  Not surprisingly, I thought it was a good idea, so off we went yesterday. 

Unfortunately, I would not get a chance to go downtown, but I did bring my camera along.  It turns out that the GPS 25 instrument approach, which we were assigned, goes right past Kodak Tower.  I had no time to actually aim at anything, but some careful cropping and editing last night turned the contents of the camera into something resembling photographs.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?token=946770002803%3A1061109728&cm_mmc=site_email-_-new_site_share-_-core-_-View_photos_link

Looking at these photos has given me a better idea of the relationships between the Powers Building, Kodak Tower, the Times Square Building, Genessee Gorge, and many other landmarks.  The resolution even allowed me to spot both nestboxes.  The best thing about the pictures was being able to experience a little of a Peregrine Falcon's perspective on Rochester.

Paul

Some of you may know that I have a Red Shouldered Hawk pair near my office.  They are a little smaller than peregrines and very attractive with their red breasts and striped tails. 

There is a forested valley next to my building, and they probably have a nest in there somewhere.  Iin two years of looking, I have failed to find it.  The hawks, on the other hand, are hard to miss. They are very vocal, keeping in touch with loud "kee-aaa kee-aaa kee-aa" calls as they soar over the parking lot and in and out of the trees.  Unlike the heavy, fast peregrines, they seem to float through the air like dancers in the sky.  If peregrines are "Top Gun", red shouldereds bring to mind Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers.

Yesterday, one of them made tight, low circles just outside my window while the other flew far overhead.  As I watched them, wondering what would happen next, the lower one broke off the maneuver and headed for a tree on the far side of the parking lot, about 150 yards (meters) away.  The higher one went into a long shallow dive and landed on the same branch.  They perched side by side, so close as to actually be touching and remained there for the next fifteen minutes. 

Paul

The shrikes are coming; it's almost ptarmagin for migration.

Paul

This posting is from birdchick's blog:

http://www.birdchick.com/wp/2010/01/fishing-american-robing-aka-holy-crap/

Paul

The maps have been updated, and Quest seems to really like Little Bluff, not far from the Prince Edward Bird Observatory.  She makes occasional side trips, but appears to have a favorite roosting spot, possibly on the cliff overlooking the lake.  Her sensor temperature was almost 25 C / 77 F, so maybe her spot is protected from the wind.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=105232220446351695936.00047c61673b2137ad34e&ll=44.089558,-76.750488&spn=0.506004,1.231842&z=10

Learn about her new neighborhood:
http://naturestuff.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=38&Itemid=31

Interesting that Quest was hatched in an area once known for wheat flour and is now in a place once known for barley.  Maybe she is roosting in the ruins of a grain storehouse or wharf.

I'm learning a lot about Canada and its history by following Quest.

Paul

Happy Birthday, Mirta!

Thanks for the sunsets!

Paul

Robins invade birdbath, followed by Pine Siskin.

http://blip.tv/file/get/Phamilton-HighNoonStarringTheLoneSiskin300.mov

Paul

On Saturday morning, my Red Shoulder (Ruby, I call her) went screaming overhead.  She was screaming long before she came into sight, screamed over, spent a few seconds in a tree and went screaming off.  I didn't see any other predators, but it sounded like a warning cry/scream.  Ideas?

These are really vocal birds.  They are supposed to have seven different calls, but I don't know exactly what they are.  "Kee-ah, kee-ah, kee-ah", seems to be both a territorial call and a contact call.  I'd guess Ruby was checking in with her mate, because that's how my pair behave.  They call more often than redtails or peregrines.

Paul

Thanks Shaky, Jim, and anyone else doing that work in the cold up there.

Paul

And another picture of a crane.

Paul

Fly with the cranes.  Right now.
http://www.operationmigration.org/trike-cam.html

Paul

Wow!
These are great, Gayle.

Thanks,

Paul

Janet sent me this pic of a Red Tail that was at one of her other buildings...The Trade Center.

Paul, is this one of yours? She is having lunch and it's squirrel. 

My two office hawks are Red Shouldered, not Red Tailed.  However, I think that building is on my way home - I go right down Arlington Mill on the way to the Four Mile Run Trail.  When we switch to daylight savings time, I may have a new distraction on my commute, in addition to the kingfishers and great blues.

Speaking of my hawks, we may have had a territorial defense today.  One of my Red Shouldereds made a low pass right outside my window in pursuit of a similarly-sized hawk (so probably not the its mate) and made a call that I had not heard before.

Paul