A Beach Buffet For Quest
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There’s little question that Quest has found a place to spend the rest of the summer, as the location data from her transmitter continues to place her on Cape Cod. It’s an attractive spot for a Peregrine. Prey is plentiful, because of the high concentration of shorebirds. It’s also a migration route for other birds, so getting food is probably not too hard for her. That’s an important consideration for a young bird like Quest, who is still honing her hunting skills.
We’ve had another eyewitness sighting, this one from August 7th when Quest was near Nantucket Island. Here’s the report from Falconcam fans Lyn & Bill Howard:
“Witnessed Quest on Aug 7th at 9:45am on north shore of Tuckernuck Island west of Nantucket Island and observed with binoculars, Quest gain altitude and perform a stoop. Kill obscured by land. Kayaked to sand spit and observed Quest on a Tern Kill at eye level 15 feet away. Quest flew off 70 minutes after first siting to the southeast after being dive bombed by 2 terns repeatedly and headed right for a startled Blue Heron working a tidal pond then disappeared over a bluff of land. Nothing left of kill except feathers. What an experience. Only saw a silver leg band on right foot and the transmitter wire. Any other bands might have been obscured by leg feathers-also a small red area on her breast was observed assumed where feathers had been lost [ed. note: This is most likely the transmitter harness, which is made from red neoprene material]. We look forward tracking Quest’s voyage wherever she goes… Thank you Quest for letting us be there with you…”
Thank you Lyn and Bill for providing us with a terrific account of Quest on the hunt! Knowing that she’s feeding herself by stooping on prey is welcome news. Birds like terns are relatively slow, abundant targets, and a single successful hunt could provide enough nutrition for a few days. And since there are a lot of them around, she might just stay until the birds embark on their winter migration. If she continues to feed herself successfully there, it could be a month or more before she makes any significant moves, likely following her prey as they head south.
-Jess
August 30th, 2008 at 1:40 PM
I’ve seen several references to the ‘red’ on the falcon’s chest, which is, in fact, part of the transmitter harness. Since so many folks mistake this for a wound or blood can’t this harness be made in a more inconspicuous color? Perhaps black or brown? Is there a reason why red is used?
August 30th, 2008 at 5:42 PM
That was a great account of Quest and her encounters. I am so thankful.
August 31st, 2008 at 9:26 AM
Much thanks to Lyn and Bill for that account, great to hear!! This being my first full season of Rochester Falcon viewing (only viewed part of the season last year), where do the falcons usual go during the winter months? and when do they usually make the return trek back to the northern areas?
August 31st, 2008 at 4:31 PM
I feel like “J.J.” Why the red when that can insight danger? If we feel like there could be a better choice of colors, ….. or are we just not understanding all the implications? Answers please from anyone in the know….Caye
August 31st, 2008 at 11:03 PM
JJ and Caye – the harness color (it’s really more of a fuscia than red) wasn’t under our control. Mark Nash from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation provided the harness when he fitted Quest with the transmitter. The color is immaterial. Quest will eventually preen her feathers around the harness, hiding it from view entirely.
Mark has fitted transmitters on dozens of birds. I’m sure if there were any adverse effects due to the color of the harness he’d correct it, so you need not worry.
August 31st, 2008 at 11:16 PM
Hi Folks!
I saw a beautiful falcon in my backyard in Greece, NY today. A check shows it’s unbanded, but nonetheless, very beautiful. I wanted to share this photo with the falconwatch group.
Keep up the great work you do. The falcons and the entire sanctuary of Braddock’s Bay are extremely important to our area. Know I remain committed to making certain we preserve and protect these important regions in our community.
Here’s the photo from my back yard off Mt. Read Blvd:
http://www.daveforassembly.com/images/stories/personalphotos/011.jpg
September 1st, 2008 at 12:07 PM
I was wondering about Quest having been banded blue and the account from Lyn and Bill mentions a silver band. Could you explain the two colored bands?
Thanks.
September 1st, 2008 at 11:14 PM
@Dave- You did indeed have a bird of prey in your backyard, but it’s not a falcon. Your picture shows a juvenile Coopers Hawk. These birds often visit backyards, where they like to ambush other birds at feeders. Their size and coloration ensures that they’re often confused with falcons.
@Erin – It appears that sometime after leaving Rochester, the blue tape covering Quest’s silver US Fish & Wildlife band fell off. It’s even possible that Quest pulled it off herself!