Triumph and Tragedy : A Tale of Two Peregrines

She showed up last April out at the old Kodak Park site and was first known as 'Lady Pefa'. I was eagerly awaiting Beauty & Archer's 2nd clutch and not paying much attention to her. But then came the shocker - her male counterpart was none other than Beauty's Archer.  In early May she was finally I.D.ed as 'Unity', a pretty young thing who had seemingly caught Archer's eye. Her nest sight appeared to be nothing more than a pile of pigeon poop. Archer was flying back and forth between the two sites leaving Beauty alone for long periods of time. And she knew it, oh she knew and it was so very sad to watch her looking off in the direction of KP. And so it was at the end of May when none of Beauty's eggs had hatched that I admit I blamed Unity. There were other factors that could have contributed but it was Beauty's stressing over Archer's other woman that I believed - I did not want to like her. Unity also laid a clutch and although she was not very interested in them Archer spent more & more time with her. It was hard to watch. 2011 ended up being a very disappointing year here in Rochester with no hatches.
So the arrival of 2012 brought the promise of  new clutches but little did I know what awaited. It all started on Super Bowl Sunday when I saw a Rfalconcam FB post that Beauty was at the Nest Box. I got the cam up and there she was, quite upset about something in her territory but looking very beautiful and I was happy to see her. Archer would be home soon & I was looking forward to seeing him as well. I assumed that Beauty was just protecting her territory from some migrating falcons and didn't give it much thought at the time. But just days later Beauty was found on the ground by her favorite roosting spot near the Xerox tower, injured. She had been in a territorial battle and the suspect was none other than Unity. Unity had been downtown before and she had  been sent packing by Beauty last year after a scrap on the Kodak building which was photographed by a watcher who worked there. Had she been waiting and watching for the right time to come back. Did the migrating falcons trigger her into thinking Archer had returned or did she sense Beauty's vulnerability & decide the time was right. Whatever the case she made a move to take Beauty's territory and sure enough not long after there she was at the nest box. Quite clearly she had wanted the penthouse. Meanwhile my beloved Beauty was in rehab with injuries I didn't know if she would recover from. She is so special to me - the first falcon I ever saw on the cam & Mother my precious Jemison & Callidora. I was heartbroken. As reports came in on her condition it appeared she would make it after she healed and gained strength. I was relieved and kept the candles burning for her. Unity was a large female and I have to admit a gorgeous one.  She loved to preen and was quite the whiner, I called her the Diva falcon. I also had to admire her as a girl who knew what she wanted and went for it. But I was still not ready to like her. She first flirted with an unbanded tiercel and even mated with him as I anxiously awaited Archer's return. Archer came home on the 13th of March and when I saw that white feather I was overjoyed ! He was confused at first, unsure why Unity was in the nest box and wondering where his Beauty was. He promptly chased the other male out. Archer and Unity continued their courtship with him bringing her gifts of prey and they eventually mated. It wasn't exactly what I had hoped for but I wanted Eyas this year very badly. I was very concerned about Beauty's return now that Unity and Archer were at the nest box together but she was healing and would be released soon. And then just as it appeared Unity was about to lay a clutch, the unthinkable happened. On March 26th Archer showed up at the nest box and something was terribly wrong. There he lay flat out and motionless on the deck. Unity came into the box and that photo of her cocking her head looking down at him with such concern is something I will never forget. How could I not love her for loving him. He managed to fly off but it was his legs hanging down that told the story. But what had happened was uncertain - had Archer been injured somehow or was it an infection from an old battle wound. He lay low for the next several days and Unity did her best to attend to him. On March 29th she laid her first egg. I hoped and prayed Archer would heal and return to the nest box once again but it was not meant to be. On April 2nd a new male showed up and Archer was not seen again. Was he chased out by DotCa or did he realize he was no match for him due to his injuries and leave on his own. Whatever the case he was gone. DotCa, a very large and fast Canadian tiercel wasted no time in mating with Unity. He now believed the nest box was his. Unity's egg by Archer sat in the box alone and I hoped with Unity and DotCa mating there would soon be more. And then came the news that Beauty had been released at Montezuma. Only a few miles from where I grew up it is a beautiful wildlife refuge but I was certain she would make her way back to her territory in Rochester which is about an hour away. And then came Good Friday April 6th. Unity had appeared heavy with egg and I was expecting her to lay at any time. My son was coming home for Easter so I was preparing for his arrival. I left around 4:30 to have the usual Friday night soup & sandwich meal with my boyfriend. Unity was in the nest box preening. My son called around 6pm to say he was home so I came back and although I had the laptop on we were busy in conversation catching up on things so I wasn't paying attention. I could see a falcon at the nest box and assumed it was Unity but it was dark by then so I didn't get a good look. I hadn't read the social stream. But then I heard chupping and there was something about the sound of it that made me get up and run to the laptop - it did not sound like Unity. And then I started to read and they were telling me it Beauty ! I went to Rfalconcam FB and there she was - a bit disheveled but her special striped band crystal clear. But where was Unity then. Gone they said, she had been killed. Apparently while struggling with a pigeon she had taken to ground Unity was run down by a car near the library and killed instantly. To the irresponsible driver who took the life of this beautiful creature I say shame on you. It is one thing to deal with harsh realities of nature, it is another altogether to deal with human cruelty to nature. And so the falcon I had tried not to like but had grown to admire and  who had eventually won my heart was gone. Taken before her time by this reckless act. Rest in Peace Unity and soar with the Angels my Diva falcon. And  now Beauty who only knows that the nest box has been empty for several hours makes her triumphant return to what she considers her territory. I am so sad about Unity but so very happy to see her. But Archer is not there and she is confused. DotCa also not knowing what has happened returns to the nest box and finds Beauty rather than Unity in what he considers his territory. They are both confused and do not like each other. A new male shows up and mates with Beauty but DotCa chases him away. Beauty holds her ground as DotDa continues to harass her. He appears to be mating with another female at another location and I can only hope he will let Beauty be so she can have some peace. She is a most beautiful strong falcon and she is a survivor with a brave heart. And so the story continues.......


Unity

Beauty returns

McGee - My Final Farewell

This past Monday had been an ordinary day. I was tired from the "Spring ahead" and admittedly looking forward to a quiet night. Last week's Anniversary celebration had been wonderful but I was counting on a slow night on FB and it seemed to be such. So I was siting on the couch, doing nothing but watching that ridiculous Bachelor show. Sometime after 9pm I went over to my laptop and saw two words up and down the posts "McGee gone" and in an instant the day changed. Funny how life is like that isn't it. Loss hits us like a ton of bricks, stops us dead in our tracks and turns our lives upside down. For regardless of what the Molly song said, neither Molly nor McGee ended up being just common barn owls to us MOD's. They have become so much a part of our lives because of everything we've shared with them. Carlos and his cams brought them into our lives and most of all into our hearts.


And McGee was our Superhero, flying into the box with those blazing white legs in a frenzy of feathers "Leggz McGee" to the rescue ! Providing meals for our precious owlets. Tallies were kept on the number of deliveries and type of meal. Discussions over was it a mouse, a rat, a gopher could last for hours. And it was that "fling and fly" delivery style he became so famous for. And those beautiful, wonderful white legs most often all of him we saw. It wasn't until Molly and McGee were empty nesters after the 3rd clutch that we saw Molly and McGee alone in the box. Their obvious affection for each other was a sight to behold and the screen shots I took from that time are beyond precious to me.

McGee was our hero. Provider to  those amazing clutches and mate to our beloved Molly. Dashing as any male barn owl we've ever seen with his white chest, oh how we loved him.  And I think to to us he was invincible as Superhero's are so Carlos report came as a great shock to us. McGee gone ! How could it be ? We know he would never abandon Molly and their 4th clutch. What happened we will never know, but while on another of his Superhero missions something went awry and he did not return. Molly tried as hard as she could but could not save precious little DeeDee and those 3 other angel eggs. And so it is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of this amazing owl. But we will cherish the memories always. Fly free McGee, we will miss you. Molly has moved on and so must we - it is the way of the owl.

McGee Royal 3.12.12 May he Rest in Peace

CALLIDORA'S STORY The Beginning Part 1

Callidora hatched on the afternoon of May 18th, 2010 high atop the Time Square building in downtown Rochester, NY where the nest box is located.

I heard about it on our local channel 5PM news & they gave out a link to the cam.  I had never heard of Ustream so it was all very new to me. But I copied the link & watched in amazement as the 2nd egg hatched later that evening. It was love at first sight & I was hooked !

Here is a photo of the nest box which is located in the top left hand corner of the building.

I had no idea how to use the Social Stream & it took me quite awhile to figure it out but I finally did & there were many people on it that helped me learn about these magnificent birds of prey.

Here is my very first screenshot of the Eyas as falcon chicks are called taken 5.31.10

As you can see Callidora has a full crop. She was a big girl with a big appetite right from the start

Here are the proud parents, Mom & Dad

Beauty 6.2.10

Archer 6.5.10

Good morning Sunhine 6.8.10

Callidora grew & began exploring  - here she is looking out at the big wide world 6.8.10

She was always eager for a meal & here is Daddy feeding the kids 6.9.10

 

Callidora & Jemison all snuggled up 6.9.10

Callidora & Jemison are now 4 weeks old & banding day is coming up

Banding Day Part 2

Banding Day Morning 6.10.10 'feather in my mouth'

Banding day for the eyases was scheduled for June 10th at 10 AM and it was going to be streamed live on the cams. I was very excited and had re-arranged my schedule so I could come home and watch it. Peregrines are considered an endangered species here in NY and and ones raised in nestboxes like this are banded by the DEC. They were not sure how Beauty and Archer would react so they wear hard hats & carry brooms in case of being attacked. But being first time parents they didn't know what to expect & the eyas were retrieved through a door in the side of the nest box, put into a tote & quickly brought into the office they were borrowing to use for the banding. They are given health checks and their sex is determined by the leg measurement. Jemison was banded a small female but will always be a boy to me. He was named by Rfalconcam.

"Mary Jemison was called “the White Woman of the Genesee.” Kidnapped in Pennsylvania by the Shawnee and French in 1755 at an early age, she was given to the Seneca. Later married to a Delaware brave. She traveled with her baby son, on foot, more than 700 miles to the Genesee river valley. She lived with the Seneca for the rest of her life, gaining respect as as advocate of her adopted nation. "

Callidora, large as she was , left little doubt she was a female. She was named by a local Kindergarten class.

"The name comes from two Greek words, “Kallos” (’beauty’) and Doron (’gift’). Thus, the name means “Gift of Beauty”. The class thought that was quite fitting since Beauty is their mother’s name."

Colored electrical tape are placed over the bands on the left leg so the eyases can be indentified easily by watchers. Callidora has red & Jemison has blue. They were then placed back in the box and all was well.

Later that day they get a banding day dinner from Mom

Showing off their Bling !

Callidora doing her Wingcercise !

And the last picture for this segment & my favorite which I use as my Avatar I call

"Talking things Over"

As you can see their feathers are starting to come in & next they start to explore & head out on the porch

Feathers & Freedom Part 3

Callidora & Jemison are now almost 5 weeks old and growing steady with many meals from Mom & Dad. The adorable white fuzzballs are now turning into eyas with juvenile plumage and they are changing almost daily. It is so much fun to watch them as they explore their surroundings and strengthen their wings to ready themselves for flight.

Losing the fuzz 6.17.10

Morning perching 6.19.10

Callidora w/ her fuzzy britches 6.20.10

Side by side 6.20.10

Callidora with her prey 6.20.10

 Callidora looking fierce 6.21.10

Callidora out on the porch 6.23.10

Big yellow feet 6.24.10

Callidora ready to Fledge 6.24.10

Callidora up on the rooftop 6.26.10

It seems they grew up so fast and next they will Fledge - the final story

Fledge Part 4

Callidora & Jemison are have lost nearly all the fluff and are now ready to spread their wings.

So who would be first to fledge ? It was Jemison on June 26th with a short flight to an adjacent building. Callidora very much wanted to follow but she was much larger & heavier than her brother and couldn't quite get airborne. But she was doing lots of flapping and wing practice and on the 28th she achieved her first flight.

Callidora 6.26.10 wanting to follow Jemison

Callidora 6.27.10 Dreaming of her fledge

Her 1st flight was a bit shaky as she bumped into the side of the building Jemison was on and eventually ended up on another building. But it was a soft landing and she was okay. They had the cam on her and she hopped along the edge of the roof.

Callidora fledges 6.29.10

There are many falcon watchers on the ground during this time to keep an eye on them and they do an amazing job. Callidora & Jemison have now officially become fledglings. And on June 29th a sight everyone hopes for but no one wants to see.

The empty nestbox at dusk 6.29.10

Everything was going smooothly with the young fledglings practicing flights around the area. Jemison returned to the nestbox often but once Callidoa fledged it was awhile before she returned. In the meantime on July 3th Jemison had a collison with building and had to be rescued.

I was devasted as it turned out he had a broken shoulder and had to go to rehab. But tough little guy that he was after 8 weeks he was re-released in a wildlife refuge near where I grew up & he now flys wild & free.

Callidora returns 7.4.10

Callidora on top of nestbox 7.4.10

This is the last photo I have of Callidora in the nest box when she visited on 7.10.10

As you can she she grew up to be a beautiful Peregrine falcon & I was privileged to see her fly overhead with Beauty on Falcon Watchers weekend. Thus ends the story of my watching these 2 precious birds grow up. It was a wonderful experience and the memories I have of it I will hold onto forever. There is nothing like waking up in the morning & rushing to get the computer on just so you can hear that loud beautiful noise of hungry Eyases.

Last year was very disapointing as Beauty laid eggs and there were no hatches. There was much speculation as to the wet Spring being an issue or whether Archer also mating with another younger female, Unity, was a contributing factor. Only God knows. Archer has gone South for the Winter and Beauty is here keeping watch over her territory. So we wait for Spring & the return of Archer so see what happens this year. But I pray for Eyas every night.

I would like to thank Rfalconcam who provides the wonderful cams we watch on

here is a link to the homepage http://rfalconcam.com/rfc-main/

I would also like to thank all the falcon watchers and all the rehab people who helped along the way

And to Callidora who has my heart

Soar with the Angels