Search for Falcon ID at Kodak Leads To Good News
Mystery Falcon at Kodak EBP. Photo by Jim Cutter
Truth, the saying goes, is often stranger than fiction. Followers of the Rochester Falconcam’s various forums and our Falcon Watch blog will know that there have been occasional reports of a falcon at Kodak’s facility to the north of Kodak Office. We’ve had some thought that this mystery falcon may have been Mariah, since she was seen there last year in the months following her release. In the past few days we’ve been fortunate to get some photographs of an adult peregrine that has been seen at one of the buildings in Kodak’s Eastman Business Park (EBP). You can see that this falcon has a black and red ID band on one leg, and a purple band on the other. When Mariah was in rehab last year, she received a silver US Fish and Wildlife band that was covered with blue and yellow tape.
So this bird clearly isn’t Mariah. But who is it? We’ve been busy putting the word out, and as it happens, purple US Fish and Wildlife bands are used out in the Midwest, as are black and red ID bands. We contacted Barb Baldinger, one of the falcon watch volunteers in Macomb County, Michigan for more information. You may recall that Barb was the one who took the picture of Ihteram that we posted back in 2008. Barb wrote back, but since the ID numbers on the EBP falcon’s band aren’t visible in the picture, she couldn’t give us any help figuring out who this bird might be. We’ll keep trying to identify it, though.
While she was responding to our inquiry about the mystery falcon at Kodak, Barb mentioned a new falcon that they discovered at the DTE Power Plant in St. Claire County, Michigan. They’re trying to identify the falcon, and got a picture of its ID Band: Black/Red *G/O, with a silver USFWS band. According to Barb, that band isn’t in the Midwest banding database, so she wondered if we might be able to help with an ID.
Alkyonis in 2004
Does that band ID sound familiar? We don’t blame you if it doesn’t, but it turns out that band was assigned to our very own Alkyonis, one of Mariah and Kaver’s offspring from 2004! She had to be rescued twice, and spent a few weeks in rehab before finally returning to her family in August of that year. Falconcam team member Jim Pisello participated in one of her rescues, but with two rescues and a rehab under her belt, her future seemed uncertain. So it’s fantastic to learn that she beat the odds and has survived for over five years. Barb has promised us an updated picture of Alkyonis, which we’ll publish as soon as we get it. She did send us a shot that shows the ID band on her leg, so we’ll leave you with that for now.
Alkyonis 2010. Photo by Dan Miller
Update! We’ve received a couple more pictures of Alkyonis, courtesy of Barb Baldinger and Dan Miller. As you’ll see, she’s grown into quite a beautiful falcon!
Alkyonis at St. Claire DTE Power Plant
Alkyonis on June 30, 2010. Photo by Dan Miller
You can’t make this stuff up, folks!
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:31 PM
A BIG WHOO HOO!! Thanks so much!
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:45 PM
thanks! terrific news! GREAT!
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:07 PM
What wonderful news!! Mariah and Kaver sure produced strong offspring and it’s wonderful to keep hearing news of them 🙂
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:43 PM
Oh she is beautiful, thanks for posting the pics. Mariah’s little clone. What’s with all these Power Plants? Does she have any kids out there? Dying to know.
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:52 PM
Wow. Aside from a Mariah sighting, that’s the best news ever!
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:12 PM
Fantastic news! Wonderful that Alkyonis is out there and doing well. I guess if she was referred to as “new” there are not yet any offspring. Let’s hope she finds a handsome and RELIABLE tiercel before next spring. Of course I was hoping that the Kodak falcon would turn out to be Maria, but I guess we can’t have it all.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:41 AM
Thanks so muc,Jess, for this wonderful news. Aslo, thank you so much, Barb & Dan, for your information and pictures! I, too, was hoping to hear news of Mariah at KP>
September 3rd, 2010 at 10:18 AM
More Alkyonis information and pictures:
http://rfalconcam.com/forum/index.php?topic=3319.msg25993#msg25993
September 3rd, 2010 at 1:43 PM
This is just SO super! I’ve often wondered how she made out. We were there the morning she was rescued and at her release and have thought of her often. Hurray!
September 8th, 2010 at 10:24 AM
This news really made my day!! Alkyonis was by far my favorite and I have often wondered if she survived and was hoping that one day she would be spotted. I hope she is carrying on the M & K trait with many offspring. GO GIRL!! Me, being the quite type, squealed when I read this wonderful news!!
September 23rd, 2010 at 8:16 AM
This news is fantastic! I remember all of us cheering her on after her release from rehab. She’s just gorgeous – a perfect mix of M&K. I hope she carries on in Mariah’s footsteps with lots of beautiful eyases!
Sue (Bess)
November 15th, 2010 at 4:00 PM
For those wondering about our Kodak Park visitor. She is still being seen a few times a week by Watchers keeping an eye on her. In fact, I saw her yesterday, late afternoon, on the blue building she seems to favor. For awhile, a male was seen with her, but we believe he has migrated. Hopefully, he’ll return come Springtime. It would be wonderful to have a 2nd Peregrine Pair here in Rochester, NY.
Sorry to say, we have not yet been able to get close enough to get a positive ID. We’ll keep trying.