Quest is On The Move!
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Before we get to the latest satellite data, we’re happy to share another Quest sighting with you!
From September 13th comes a report courtesy of Kathy Doyen and Ian Davies, who spotted Quest at Coast Guard Beach on Cape Cod. Ian is an accomplished photographer, and he netted some Quest shots which he has kindly shared with us. Thanks Ian and Kathy for giving Quest’s fans another look at her!
Just in time for the end of summer, it looks like Quest may be ready to do some more wandering. She began in Chatham Port where we last left her, but on the 19th she said good-by to the Cape and winged her way nearly 300 miles (483 km) to Washington, New Jersey, near the Pennsylvania border! For a Peregrine at normal cruising speed of about 50 mph/80 kph, that’s a good six hours of solid flying. Prevailing weather patterns during that time indicate that she’d have had a nice tailwind for much of the trip, as she flew out just behind a cold front. Many thanks to Falconcam fans Paul Hamilton and Larry O’Heron for providing some additional weather-related data to our analysis!
But she wasn’t done stretching her wings. The next two days found her seaside again, but this time on Shelter Island, one of the small islands on the eastern edge of Long Island, New York. Then it was back to the Cape on the 22nd, where her transmitter puts her in the vicinity of the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, just off the coast from Chatham. It’s a stopping point for migrating birds, and it’s not far from where she started on the 18th. So not only is Quest proving to be a great distance flyer, she’s a hotshot navigator as well!
-Jess
September 23rd, 2008 at 5:33 PM
Wow – 300 miles in a day – into the wind, even!
I wonder whether that disputed trip to Quebec might have been real after all.
September 23rd, 2008 at 7:05 PM
WOW!!!! thats great, 300 miles in a day…she is a strong girl.I am so happy for her, she is doing great. Thanks
September 23rd, 2008 at 7:05 PM
Incredible!
September 23rd, 2008 at 7:08 PM
OMG, she came through New Jersey???????? My state and I missed her…shame on me. Go Quest, she’s on a mission. Thanx!!!
September 23rd, 2008 at 8:42 PM
Wowee that IS incredible! I have to admit, I originally hated the idea of the transmitter on her but have warmed up to it with these fascinating reports. I can’t wait to see where she flies to next! 😀
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:44 PM
You go girl!! Here’s to more sightings so we get great pics of Quest!
September 24th, 2008 at 9:47 AM
OMG, she was in Jersey!! I wonder if she flew by the Meadowlands, a popular nature stop! I love those photos of her! Thank you Kathy and Ian for sharing your photos! She looks magnificent, what a big girl, and always with a full crop! 🙂
September 24th, 2008 at 11:35 AM
QUEST IS QUITE THE CHAMPION! I pray that Susan B, Zephyr, Diamante and Seneca are doing as well. I remember the day when several of us freaked out wondering what happened to Quest with that ‘thing’ sticking out of her back thinking that somehow she was wounded! LOL Now, what a great blessing that ‘thing’ is feeding back info to us. Thanks to all the great people out there that share their moments with her to us!
September 25th, 2008 at 10:12 AM
I hope all this data will be an important contribution to the body of knowledge about these beautiful birds. Who gets it all and how many other birds are they tracking?
September 25th, 2008 at 4:39 PM
You’ve got to love her, she is SO adventurous !! I agree with those who worried about her initially,with that HUGE thing sticking out of her back. Just look at how much she has accomplished and all the new frinds she has made. Special thanks to Kathy and Ian for the wonderful pictures they sent. I love the one where beautiful Quest looks like she’s giving them what”s for. And thank you all who are tracking her and sending us updates. It helps us feel connected.
P.S. (To Quest)Although we live in Centerville Chatham is my favorite Cape town also.
September 26th, 2008 at 10:44 AM
How wonderful to get another update of Quest! I appreciate the
photographers that are able to capture such great shots and know
about this site to share them with the rest of us!
September 26th, 2008 at 3:01 PM
Clever Quest! Glad she returned to the Cape. More prey, less traffic. I noticed a fuzzy photo on Flickr from 9/9 of a juvie on Nantucket. No discernible antenna.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:06 PM
@Cathy Caiazzo – Our partners at the DEC and the Rochester Falconcam are receiving the satellite data. I believe the DEC has transmitters on a few falcons and other birds of prey, including Bald Eagles.
September 27th, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Jess – Is the transmitter data of the other birds viewable on any website? If so, would you share the link with us?
September 27th, 2008 at 8:00 PM
Thank you Kathy Doyen and Ian Davies!
Great to see ‘our’ strong and healthy beauty again!
I agree, so glad she’s back to the Cape. 😀