Quest Follows The Sun
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Quest is sticking to her established behavior patterns on the Cape, but the latest batch of data from Quest’s transmitter shows that she’s modifying her activity to match the changing season. As the days grow shorter, Quest is limiting her time over Monomoy, and spending more time at Nickerson State Park in the area around Ruth’s Pond.
The move from Daylight Saving Time to Eastern Standard Time means that fewer satellite passes are occurring during daylight hours. Combine that with the many variables that affect signal strength and the result is that we aren’t getting as many meaningful data points as we were in the summer months. We’ll adjust our schedule of updates to match the data we’re receiving, so new postings on Quest’s whereabouts may be coming at longer intervals for the next few months.
-Jess
November 22nd, 2008 at 9:17 AM
Good to hear that Quest is still hanging out on the Cape. This area must be very familiar to her now. 🙂 – Carol P.
November 22nd, 2008 at 3:56 PM
Thanks for the update. Given the extra time that the season shift brings, hopefully you can give regular updates on the relocation of the scrape and any local observations by M and/or K on this project.
I’d also like to see continued updates on activities at Kodak Park, and the reassurance of knowing that neither of them will be injured during the construction project as both may and probably will be inclined to the place they have called home for many, many years.
We as a community owe it to them to be the gatekeepers of their safety, and with all due respect to Kodak, we have to make certain that their progress does not hinder, impair, or injure the beauty and grace that our falcons have shared with us over the years.
Onward and upwards for Quest – and all eyes due North to the scrape.
November 22nd, 2008 at 7:45 PM
Thanks for letting us know. Glad to hear she is stillaround. Hope we can still track her, as time goes on. I pray she will be well.
Any more news on the nest boxes?
November 22nd, 2008 at 7:46 PM
Birdlover said it right, my sentiments, exactly.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:44 PM
Look for an update about the nestbox installs soon!
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:06 AM
Jess, How long can we expect the transmitter to continue to work?
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:30 AM
Thanks, Jess! A happy first Thanksgiving on the Cape to Quest! And to all of you who bring us updates on this falcon family.
November 24th, 2008 at 3:14 PM
Am I seeing things ? I was walking in the parking lot next to Bldg.-337 in KP across from Bldg.-205 this morning when a bunch of crows caught my attention. They were making all kinds of noise, so I walked over to see what was up. I noticed something other than a crow on the ground between to cars. It was ( looked like ) one of the falcons with a pigeon in its claws. When I got about 40 or 50 feet away it let go of the pigeon and flew up on top of the next truck. It looked like a falcon and was banded. I could not tell the color. What do you think?
November 24th, 2008 at 5:46 PM
@Pam- The transmitter is solar powered, so technically it could keep running for many years. The harness attaching it to Quest is designed to fall off after about 2 years.
@Tim- You’re probably not seeing things. It’s possible that you saw one of this year’s juveniles who might still be hanging around the area. They’re too inexperienced to carry off something like a pigeon, so young peregrines sometimes eat their prey on the ground. It’s a dangerous place for them to be unfortunately. Especially in a city, peregrines on the ground often become the victims of vehicle strikes. That’s what happened to Hafoc, one of our falcons from 2004.
You may also have seen a falcon or other raptor that’s just passing through during their southward migration. Without the ID numbers from its leg band it’s hard to say, but thanks for your report and your sharp eyes!
November 25th, 2008 at 12:35 AM
Hey Tim – I would suggest carrying a camera in case you see this bird again. It would be great to see a picture of your visitor. I believe someone at Kodak Park got a picture of one of the Rochester juvies eating on the ground a few years ago. – Carol P.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:36 PM
Jess, thanks for the reply. It was really cool to see this bird so close. I will keep an eye out for it showing up again. There are always a lot of Pigeons around that area.
Carol, that is the first thing that crossed my mind…. I wish I had my camera!! I will carry it now. Hopefully, it will come back and I can get a shot.
November 25th, 2008 at 3:06 PM
Tim, what a lucky find! Seems to me the fact that it was willing to abandon it’s prey and move to safety is a good sign. Hope it was one of Mariah’s juvies.