ROC the Day Reminder – Tonight at Midnight!
November 30th, 2020ROC the Day is December 1!
Join us tonight at midnight to ROC the Day for Rfalconcam.
Get the latest news on ROC the Day activities at our Forum.
Let’s ROC the Day together!
ROC the Day is 9 Days Away!
November 22nd, 2020ROC the Day is December 1!
Are you as ready to ROC as we are? Join us on Tuesday, December 1 starting at midnight to ROC the Day for Rfalconcam.
Get the latest news on ROC the Day activities at our Forum.
Let’s ROC the Day together!
The 2021 Rfalconcam Calendar is Now Available!
October 30th, 2020
Our 2021 Rfalconcam Calendar is now available, in time for the holidays!
The new calendar, which comes in three different sizes and prices, includes pictures of all the 2020 downtown Rochester Falcons, including Beauty, Dot.ca, Hope, Geraki & Roc. Although the eyases were not banded this year, due to Covid, they still had their own distinctive “falconalities” and looks.
Please check it out on Zazzle. Just click on the link below. Hope you enjoy!!!
Announcing the Shut Down of Kfalconcam Group
October 13th, 2020Yahoo is shutting down Yahoo Groups on December 15, 2020. This includes the Kfalconcam group started in 2002 by Mountain Woman. Some longtime falcon watchers still receive Rfalconcam Forum posts via email through the Rfalconcam-Kfalconcam connection that was established at the start of the Rfalconcam Forum in 2009. This will be discontinued when the Kfalconcam group is shut down.
Please note that the Rfalconcam Forum is not affected by this shutdown and will continue to be available at https://rfalconcam.com/forum/.
This is the message sent by Yahoo this morning:
Dear Yahoo Group Moderators and Members,
We launched Yahoo Groups 20 years ago to connect people around their shared interests. We helped our users navigate new towns, keep in touch with college friends, learn new skills, and most importantly, build connections they may have lost or never had in the first place. While we could not have been more proud of what we accomplished together, we are reaching out today with heavy hearts to let you know that we have decided to shut down Yahoo Groups on December 15, 2020.
Yahoo Groups has seen a steady decline in usage over the last several years. Over that same period we’ve witnessed unprecedented levels of engagement across our properties as customers seek out premium, trustworthy content. To that end, we must sometimes make difficult decisions regarding products that no longer fit our long-term strategy as we hone our focus on other areas of the business.
Beginning December 15, 2020 the Yahoo Groups website will shut down and members will no longer be able to send or receive emails from Yahoo Groups. We’ve compiled a comprehensive FAQ here that includes alternative providers and information on how this will impact your group content.
Thank you for helping us build one of the earliest digital communities — we’re proud and honored to have forged countless connections over the last 20 years and played a small part in helping build your communities.
Sincerely,
The Yahoo Groups team
Upcoming Camera Replacement at the Times Square Building
October 7th, 2020
Weather permitting, this Thursday, October 8th, Camera 1 will be replaced with a new HD camera. Additionally, the other four cameras will be cleaned and adjusted, and the site will be inspected for damage.
The cameras at the Times Square building will be turned off during this procedure, which is expected to start at 8 am and be completed by 5 pm.
Upcoming Website Downtime
August 16th, 2020Our web hosting provider will be moving the server that runs our website to a new location Monday morning. Rfalconcam.com will be unavailable during the move. The interruption in service will start at approximately 4 AM EDT and last for 2 to 4 hours. Please note that streaming video channels will still be viewable on YouTube by entering “Rfalconcam Live” in the search box on the YouTube.com home page.
We Have Our First Fledge! Roc Fledged at 3:35 pm – 6/11/20
June 11th, 2020Our only male, Roc, fledged off the north end of the wall at approximately 3:35 pm. Rochester Falcon Watcher Carrie Shone witnessed his first flight from the wall. Roc flew north and then turned back, with Dot.ca flying above him. Roc ended up landing safely on the northwest corner of the Times Square Bldg, almost level with the nest box.
Carrie said he looks great, flapping and running, with Dot.ca keeping an eye on his young son.
This was the last picture our cameras caught of Roc, standing next to Geraki, just before he fledged.
Roc is now a juvie, no longer an eyas!
The watchers will continue their fledge watch for the girls, Geraki and Hope. The females are bigger than the males, so they usually wait a little longer to fledge.
Why Do Falcons Pant?
June 10th, 2020You may notice the falcons panting. Falcons and other birds have a body temperature of 104° F. To keep themselves cool, they pant, sending air through the air sacs and lungs in their bodies causing evaporation, helping to cool themselves.
The Eyases are Named
June 7th, 2020If you’ve been following Rfalconcam over the years, you’ll know that the eyases normally receive their names when they are banded. However, banding by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation could not take place this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Without the colored bands to identify each eyas, arbitrarily naming them would lead to considerable confusion.
Now that the eyases are no longer white fluffballs, we can see the differences in their facial markings that allow us to tell them apart.
An additional complication in the naming process arose when we lost one of the eyases in May. We were already actively seeking four names at the time:
- two longtime Fledge Watch volunteers were each asked to name an eyas
- a school classroom was asked to name one
- a naming contest was open to our worldwide community of followers
With only three eyases and four names, we had to find a way to politely reject one of them. This problem was quickly solved when both of our volunteers graciously bowed out, but that left us with only two names for three eyases!
Given the circumstances, we decided that the best course of action would be to use the 2nd-place name in the naming contest. That name was Hope.
So, without further ado, here are the 2020 eyasas.
Roc
Roc (male) – The winning entry in the naming contest was submitted by John Hoffman of Honeoye Falls, New York.
Roc’s name is not just a play on his city of birth. The Roc is an enormous legendary bird of prey in the Middle Eastern tradition. The book One Thousand And One (Arabian) Nights includes tales about the Roc. Marco Polo also reported on the legendary bird.
Roc’s smaller size, “blue” feet, and almost solid dark head distinguish him from his sisters.
Hope
Hope (female) – The 2nd place entry in the naming contest was submitted by Ethan Fernaays of Ontario, New York; Gayle Burroughs of Rochester, New York; Heidy May of Rochester, New York; Kevin Beebe of Spencerport, New York; and Susan Kowal of Batavia, New York.
Hope is named for a brighter and better future. It is something we need, and it’s understood by all. New life represents hope.
Hope has yellow feet and a light-colored head. The large light areas behind her malar stripes go almost to her eyes
γεράκι
γεράκι (Geráki in the Latin alphabet, female) was named by students at Algonquin Middle School in Averill Park, New York.
γεράκι is an ancient Greek word for falcon. If you’re wondering how it’s pronounced, you’re not alone. Here are two pronunciations: 1 and 2.
γεράκι also has yellow feet like her sister, but her head is darker with smaller light patches behind her malar stripes.
A big thanks goes out to Eileen Karle for helping us spot the differences between the eyases. Plus a very special thanks to our Rochester Falcon Watchers! Soon we’ll be gathered again to watch over the young fledglings as they take their first flights. If you’re able to help out with the fledge watch, please let us know. We could sure use your help!
Death of an Eyas – 5/20/20
May 20th, 2020One of the four eyases in the nest box at the Times Square building in downtown Rochester passed away late last night due to natural causes. The remaining three appear to be healthy and continue to develop normally.
The New York State Department of Conservation has been notified of the situation.
There can be no attempt by our volunteer staff at Rfalconcam to remove the body. That is under the jurisdiction of the New York State Department of Conservation, which will decide on the appropriate action to take.
We join the many followers of Rochester’s Peregrine Falcon family in being truly saddened by this loss but must always remember that death is a part of the life of these magnificent creatures that chose Rochester as their home.
Fly free, little one.
