Quest Enjoys the Sea Shore
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Quest continues to enjoy her time at the Massachusetts shore. She spent the past week exploring up and down State Route #6 on Cape Cod, where she is presumably dining on a smorgasbord of shorebirds.
And now for a really special treat… A couple of days ago the DEC’s Barbara Loucks forwarded an email to us from Shawn Carey. Shawn is a professional wildlife photographer and a member of the Massachusetts Audubon Society. It turns out that on August 17th Shawn was photographing at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary on the cape, when he came across a banded juvenile Peregrine. It was Quest! Shawn took some fantastic photos of Quest, and he reports:
“She sat there for about three hours with many people walking by, stopping to view and photograph [her]… [She] was a fun bird to see and photograph and needless to say that has never happened to me in my many years of wildlife photography.”
We need to invite Shawn to spend some time with us at the High Falls next June or July! Many thanks to Shawn and the Massachusetts Audubon Society, as well as Mike Amaral at the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Barbara Loucks for connecting the dots needed to identify Quest.
Quest looks great, and she doesn’t appear to be in any hurry to leave. It’s likely there’s plenty of prey nearby, and hopefully few predators. It’s possible she could spend the rest of the summer where she is. In any case, we’ll keep watching to see what her next move will be.
-Jess
August 27th, 2008 at 10:45 PM
This is awesome news! Go Quest! – Carol P.
August 28th, 2008 at 1:05 AM
What fortunate timing that Quest happened to be where Shawn was photographing…and nice of Barbara to forward his email and beautiful photos.
It’s been exciting reading Quest’s transmitter reports. But this was indeed a special treat to see and read about her from an eye witness during her travels. Quest looks wonderful.
Thanks to all involved,
Barbara
(Los Angeles)
August 28th, 2008 at 6:11 AM
She couldn’t have picked a better place. Who wouldn’t love it there. She is a beauty and hope she continues to be safe.
August 28th, 2008 at 6:41 AM
What wonderful photos! – and Shawn even made a point of getting good close-ups of both bands. I am quite impressed and wish that other wildlife photographers could manage to learn his technique (and have his luck) so we could know more about the history of some of the birds we follow.
I am delighted Quest is in a bird sanctuary (the other birds there are probably not :-). There there are fewer hazards of civilization (reflective glass windows, speeding cars, airplanes taking off….) to do her in.
August 28th, 2008 at 7:43 AM
How interesting, she has shed her blue tape that was placed over the Fish and Wildlife band. Better becareful, she might find a way to shed the harness and transmitter.
August 28th, 2008 at 9:18 AM
What exciting news, and a great report and photos by Shawn! Thank you! I was in Wellfleet last weekend, saw a large falcon-like bird floating the wind overhead and “pretended” it was Quest. Perhaps it was afterall – I’d like to think so anyway 😀 I’m going back down to Wellfleet again today. I’ll definitely keep my eyes open for Quest now! 🙂
August 28th, 2008 at 10:41 AM
WOW, what are the “odds” that there would be an actual sighting of our Quest!!! Really..one in a million!! WONDERFUL news, and beautiful photos. Shawn, very well done!! Marilyn (formally of Somerset MA!)
August 28th, 2008 at 11:32 AM
She looks great! How nice of Shawn to take the time to research her bands. The pictures are just stunning!
Would be interesting if any of her siblings followed her.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Wow, what a treat to see Quest! This was like being a kid on Christmas morning and finding the gift you most wanted under the tree!!!
What a beauty she is. Thanks Shawn, and GO QUEST!!!
Carla P.
August 28th, 2008 at 12:18 PM
Adding my thanks to Shawn Carey for documenting Quest’s bands and taking the time to contact DEC. Those pictures are stunners! And, Maureen, how cool that your live near the Cape.
I especially enjoyed Shawn’s comments describing Quest’s obvious tolerance for people with cameras. I wonder why that is?
🙂
August 28th, 2008 at 12:57 PM
How exciting to know that other people can enjoy her just as we have! It’s nice to know not only only where she is though her transmitter, but the visual identification and proof is excellent! Many thanks to Shawn from northern NY for these great images of Quest!
August 28th, 2008 at 3:13 PM
Awesome! It’s great we have a eye witness report of how well she is doing. She looks very healthy indeed.
Thank you so much Shawn Carey for the amazing pictures of Quest!
Quest sure looks very relaxed being photographed, she is used to that 😉
Froona
August 28th, 2008 at 3:22 PM
Oh, this is just wonderful !!
August 28th, 2008 at 6:34 PM
Yes..thank you Shawn for those fantastic photos. Quest looks well and Zephyr does too, they are getting around, for sure.
August 28th, 2008 at 7:45 PM
What a surprise! Great pictures.Thanks Carla
August 29th, 2008 at 8:23 PM
Ya, I wonder why Quest has tolerance for people with cameras too 😀 😉 Thanks again to Shawn! Now let’s keep our fingers crossed for Mariah’s approval of a new nest box (I liked the ‘penthouse’ moniker in Jess’ post) for 2009!!
August 30th, 2008 at 4:28 AM
“WOW, what are the “odds†that there would be an actual sighting of our Quest!!! Really..one in a million!! ”
Actually the odds are much better than that since she has a transmitter and can be located within a few meters when it is transmitting. One in a million is for the other fledglings who are out there anonymously.
September 7th, 2008 at 9:51 PM
A banded falcon WITH a transmitter has again been spotted and photographed on cape cod. There is a close up shot of the bird at the following website. To me, the band looks green… but I am not an expert. Could it be Quest??? Check out the mass bird archives at http://www.virtualbirder.com. Go to the lists, and click on Massbird. For the pictures, follow to the website below: http://shawncarey.zenfolio.com/p971267549/
I looked at the banding page. 96 over V. It is in fact Quest!!
Thanks Shawn