Both the Male and Female Peregrine Falcons today-Closeups

Tim from my work building called me this afternoon to inform me that both Peregrine Falcons were on top of our building this afternoon, so of course I decided to stop up as I haven't seen the female for quite some time since she was busy nesting.
She was up on the higher portion of the building but made certain to let us know she was aware of our presence as she glanced at us on occasion. I am guessing she likes being up this high because it allows her to search the skies for avian threats that could potentially harm her chicks.
We would go up another floor to get a better view of her, but the windows are not the best but I did manage one halfway decent shot and again, she would follow us with her eyes.
There would be evidence of recent kills on top of the building as well.
And here is the male with more remains which were not here yesterday. If you look really closely you will see pigeon feet! Hmmm...... I guess they don't find that suitable eats for the youngins. ;-)

I would also take some video of the two because I like doing this every year when I am lucky enough to have them on top of the building.

And as you heard in the video I have the rest of the week off which means only one thing all, birding of course so I will have plenty to blog about I am hoping!

Take care all

At Least Two Peregrine Falcon Chicks-downtown Worcester

I could tell something was up this morning with the downtown Worcester Peregrine Falcons as I would see both of them on top of City Hall at around 10am or so. I would get out my binoculars and see one of them plucking a Rock Pigeon on top of a fixture, as the other one carried another one to the nest box.

I decided to take a look at the nest box later in the afternoon and I would see what appeared to be a white bird peeking its head out of it so I went up to the 24th floor with Tim from maintenance to see if I could get a better look at it.
The male would be there when we arrived and making its usual goofy faces that always makes me laugh. He would look all around and squack on occasion as he did his parental duty of defending his chicks.
I would not see the female anywhere at this time, but I was able to get a better look at the nest box with my binoculars at this height, and am able to confirm at least TWO Peregrine Falcon chicks. That doesn't mean there are not anymore as this is like dejavu all over again compared to last year when there were two that were always visible and another one in hiding so that may be the case again this year.
I even attempted a photo of the chicks but my camera is only a 15 zoom so this was the best I could manage. If you look at the front of the nest box, you will barely make out one, who is angled to the side an appears to by sitting. There is another one on the side who is sitting as well, but has its face toward the front of the box so it's easier to make out the falcon like form.

So needless to say, I am elated that nesting was successful again this year and now comes the fun part which is watching them in agony as they play a little game of "chicken" on the ledge and Emily and I will watch with butterflies in our stomach hoping one doesn't fall off like last year. Let the fun begin!

Take care all

Peregrine Falcon Update: Yes Virginia there is a nest!

Picture taken from last year of the female

I am now almost certain the Peregrine Falcons are nesting on top of the Unum building in their usual nest box. I saw both of them for the first time in weeks, right at the ledge of the nest box; they were in the midst of a nest switch off, I believe. The falcon on the ledge would remain there for only a few seconds until it went inside the nest box, presumably to incubate eggs. On another note, I spoke to Emily and it doesn't appear that Fish & Wildlife will be making a visit to the nest site until banding is done this summer, so it looks as if there will be no egg count. I will post updates as I get more information.

Just thought I'd share!

This & That-April

I have been doing some birding here and there with a lot of it being "birding by ear" during my morning trail runs. I get out there just before dawn and the trails are alive with bird song and some of the songs are ones I didn't hear last year while running because I picked up running the trails late last June well after spring migration so this is a whole new experience for me and one I welcome because it is still so dark outside it forces you to totally concentrate on the bird song around you vs. getting looks at them which in my opinion is one of the best ways to become a better birder because you have more range with your ears than your eyes so the better you know the songs and calls of certain birds, the better your chances are of identifying more.

Anyhow, I got out bright and early and wanted to try a new place because I really want to get some owls while out there so am going to places where there is some potential. I would hit a trail I discovered this past winter and one of the first bird songs I would hear would be that of a Hermit Thrush. Common sense would be put on the back burner as I made my way through the woods in the dark with just my head lamp using my ears as my guide to the bird. I would get close enough for video but it was far too dark outside so I went on my way and just as the sun started to shine above the hill, I would hear a peenting American Woodcock mixed in with Eastern Towhees, American Robins and Field Sparrows. A wonderful experience and one I am looking forward to developing more as migration starts to take fold. And seriously talk about multi tasking. Getting your exercise and birding at the same time, you can't beat that!

Anyhow, I emailed Alan to let him know the location of the thrush and wouldn't you know not only does he hear it, but the darn bird was on the ground posing nicely for him so he could get a good look. I would read this while stuck at work so wouldn't be able to get out there again until this evening when I would go back there hoping for an Eastern Screech-owl which I would never get, but I did get to finally see the Hermit Thrush above. First of the year bird for me and a welcome sound as one of the most magical sounds in the woods in summer is the sound of the thrushes I think.
I have been getting further use of my binoculars at work lately as I have gotten some pretty cool things last fall during migration so figured it can't hurt to sneak peeks here and there. I would be sneaking a peek at the right time today as one of the Peregrine Falcons decided to fly by my window for a little late afternoon snack (probably to share w/ the nesting misses no doubt! ;-)).
The Rock Pigeons were in a state of panic as the Peregrine played a little game of chase with a few of them.
Love this shot as it really shows the fanned tail and how it makes the Peregrine look small and the fact that the wings are projecting downward which is something you don't see that often. It doesn't take away from the overall pointed wings though.

Now here is the classic Peregrine profile with the long tail and pointed wings. This is just to show you some of the mental anguish I endure when the Peregrine is hunting outside of my office window, this is what it looks like from my office view. There he is going past, as I hold my breath hoping he is using those super sharp eyes of his so he doesn't crash into the many windows on our building.

I did some birding w/ Alan last evening as we are both on the hunt for our elusive Screech Owl (all though we just started trying this week). Anyhow, we made a stop at Gate 40 and I would hear bird song from above and see the birds above that I thought were Common Ravens at first due to how they sounded. Come to find out they are indeed American Crows but they were doing their rattle or comb call while in the air which messed me up as I hadn't heard that one since last year!
And check out this crazy shot of one and how the sun is reflecting on the wing.
We would be scanning that waters and were lucky enough to get our first Red-necked Grebe of the year in Worcester County that Alan spotted. There were two of them and you could see one just coming into breeding plumage with some red just starting to appear on its neck. What was cool about this was being able to distinguish it from the Horned Grebe due to bill size. Something I am still learning as birding the waters for long range birds via the scope is still really new to me, but I could definitely see the difference in bill size in this instance which is pretty darn cool! We wold also see the very handsome Common Loon already in his breeding plumage as you can see above.
We would make our way to another gate hoping for a screech owl. The sun would just start to set as a Towhee called and American Robins bickered amongst themselves as they were just settling in for a good nights sleep. We would hear one lone American Woodcock peenting and then take to the air. He wasn't going to display in this area so his flight wasn't as high as he literally went past us just a little above eye level which gave me the best look yet of this bird.
We would never get a screech owl here either, but it is still a perfect way to spend an evening as I am totally loving birding in the dark now. :-p This Eastern Towhee would roost for the night nearby which allowed me a chance to get a photo despite lack of light.

Take care all

Peregrine Falcon Update-Love is in the air!

First of all, apologies for the lousy pictures, but it was the best I could do given the circumstances but I will get to that a little later!! Anyhow, I have been keeping an eye out on the next box over at Fallon now for the past week or so because I haven't really seen much going on there and was getting a little worried. A hunch told me to go up to the 24th floor of the 446 Main Street building this morning and low and behold, was the male.
He was down on a lower section because there are people outside on the roof doing annual routine maintenance and he would stare at them and squack on occasion, but refused to leave his perching spot which is what he likes to do while the misses is nesting to keep guard of any potential threats in an effort to thwart them.

As soon as I saw that, I contacted Emily Eaton to see if she knew if the female has been spending any time in the nest box over at Fallon as I haven't seen her there in over a week. She had indicated that not only has she seen her over there, but they were actually copulating on top of the Commerce building early last week. Anyhow, she will be contacting the Department of Fish and Wildlife to see when they can come to the nest box to see if they are nesting in there and if so, how many eggs they will have this year. Cross your fingers everyone!
And just to give you an idea on why the photos came out as bad as they did. Since the Peregrine Falcon was on the lower ledge, I had to go through three layers of glass and mirrors with my camera to get any pictures of him. He's still a handsome little devil none the less!

Take care all

Another Peregrine Falcon Visit-This time the Misses

I was at work today and just finishing up on the phone as I stared out the window feeling as gray as the skies as this weather is starting to get old when suddenly I could see a bird whip on by past my building while gaining altitude. I hung up the phone and decided to venture up to the top of the building as my gut told me one of the Peregrine Falcons would be up there and sure enough, who do I see? Why the misses of course. She could sense my presence as I adjusted my camera settings and was lucky enough to get this photo.
And this one that really shows off her gorgeous talons.
And another where she is looking above as the male flies by overhead trying to dazzle her with his acrobatic talents.
It was rather wet outside so she spent some time trying to shake it off but it was no use as the precipitation just didn't want to seem to want to end unfortunately.
That didn't stop her from preening though in an attempt to look groomed. Check out those gorgeous feathers on her chest and belly.
And another. As you can see, both she and the male look as if they found plenty of food this past winter and downtown Worcester was good to them as the Rock Pigeons were a plenty!
Finally a shot that I thought came out wicked cool. Check out the size of her in this picture. It really puts the urban setting she lives in, in better perspective.

Take care everyone!

Mr Peregrine Falcon Takes to His Favorite Ledge

Despite what the forecast says, spring is definitely in the air, and while you can't tell by the temperatures or the snow fall, you can tell if you pay special attention to nature signs whenever you venture outside. The Male Northern Cardinal is singing as well as some others, the days are getting longer, and I am convinced I can smell the scent of spring in the air late in the day here and there. Want more proof, check out Mr Peregrine Falcon here who is back at his favorite spring and summertime spot which is the ledge right across from the nest box!
I peeked my head over near the nest box as the female spends a considerable amount of time there lately, and low and behold, the Mr was across from her and staking out his territory. I decide to grab my coat and camera and run up the 7 flights of stairs for a brief visit as well as some pictures before he decides to take off.

I slowly approach him with camera in tow wondering if he would remember me as the crazy stalker broad from last year who would visit him weekly last year and yes, even talk to him at times, but that's between you and me ok. ;-). I tiptoed closely and he just gave me the same bored stare he did last year as if to say "oh no, not you again" as I smiled and gave him a really good looking over to make sure all feathers were in tact, wings looked okay, etc as this is the closest I have gotten to him since last summer. After careful examination, I deemed him a healthy little Peregrine Falcon as he went on about his business just like the old days.
He spent some time defending his turf and then decided to take a little cat nap as shown above. So cute!
He was in la-la land until a loud truck roared on by which caused him to awaken to check out who the culprit was.
After a while he determined the honkin truck was no threat and went back to his laid back ways with most of it being preening and napping on occasion. Very happy to see they are getting closer to my building and think it's only a matter of time before they make one of their frequent stops on top of the 446 Main Street Building where I will be waiting with camera in tow!

Take care everyone.

Peregrine Falcon Update: February 2010

It's been a while since I have given a Peregrine Falcon update and that's mostly because there hasn't been much to report on with it being winter and all. Things are starting to get interesting lately as I have seen what I am almost certain is the female over near her nest box on the Unum building the past week or so and today she was actually in it which I am taking as a possible good sign!

The male on the other hand still likes to perch and look at downtown Worcester from a couple of his favorite locations including the one above which is on top of the Commerce Bank Building. Notice how lunch is flying by as he stares out into the horizon! ;-)
And that's not all that is downtown as you can see from the picture above which is of a Cooper's Hawk taken today as I was getting up from my desk to grab a PB&J from my bag. I could see a raptor of some sort flying very fast and powerful so I grabbed my camera for a couple of record shots and then my bins and proceeded to follow it while it flew.
I had often heard how powerful accipiters can be while flying and have seen it somewhat when I am hawk watching, but today it was different and threw me off guard at first because it was not characteristic in how I think a Cooper's Hawk normally flies. Perhaps it's because it was in such open sky, that I had an unobstructed view so could really appreciate it. Regardless, I just hope this Coopers' decides to fly the coop before the Peregrines start nesting after what happened to the poor Cooper's Hawk from last year who decided to hang around downtown and he would up at Tufts.

Will start keeping you all posted more now that things appear to be picking up some. Take care all.

Peregrine Falcon Update: December

Picture taken this past summer

It looks as if the "killer views" I was lucky enough to get of the Peregrine Falcons this past summer will be put on hold with winter taking its grip on Downtown Worcester as the falcons have moved their preferred location from the Unum Building over to the Flagship Bank building.

Picture taken this past summer

First pictures I got of a Peregrine Falcon on the Flagship Logo last winter

Instead, I now settle upon occasional glances toward the Flagship logo where they spend a lot of their time dependent upon the day. There will be days when the two of them will perch on a logo spending hours there as they preen, rest and eat their meals. This appears to be their preferred location when they are not nesting as the nest box of last summer that was full of life and activity lies barren for the season. The highlight of the day from my office window happens whenever hunger pangs take over causing the falcons to leave their perching sites in search for a meal. I can tell it's lunch time by the behaviour of the Rock Pigeons who take to the skies in organized chaos as they fly around in un-synchronized flocks that are soon separated as the pigeons head in opposite directions out of panic and fear. The Peregrine Falcon will then zero in on one or two pigeons in particular as they fly around City Hall where I am lucky enough to witness it from my office window.
The falcons flight is fast and powerful as it whips by my window toward a location that is out of my reach. They do this almost every day and I find myself holding my breath whenever it occurs out of fear they will fly into one of the glass windows. I try and relocate them but they always seem to disappear for a few moments as I stare at the sky in wonder.

Soon enough, the falcon is seen again over near the Flagship Building with lunch at its preferred eating grounds being letters A or G. I zoom in on it with my binoculars and see remnants of other meals there as well and wonder when the last time the logos were cleaned as it appears as if there is some buildup going on that can be seen long range from my office window. Just another ordinary day in downtown Worcester.

Take care all!

Downtown Peregrine Falcons and Local Red-tailed Hawks

Downtown Worcester has quieted down some since the juvenile Peregrine Falcon's have left town but the adults still remain. In fact, I see them more now than when they were nesting because they have moved away from the nest box, and spend most of their time around City Hall and the Flagship building. I'm guessing this is where they like to be after nesting as this is where they were when I started tracking them this past February. Once the urge to mate and nest takes over, off they go to the Unum building where they will stay until their young leave and they are on their own again.
I'm not totally certain this is the female, but guessing here based on her size as well as her overall behaviour when I was watching her yesterday over near the Catholic Church next to the Flagship Building. Gone is her fierce, protective maternal instinct as she spends much of her time on top of this cross where she likes to preen or next to the male on the Flagship logo.
The only time there is any drama now is when one of them decides to score themselves a little lunch and then chaos erupts as Rock Pigeons take to the sky determined not to be on the menu. I try and get pictures, but the falcons are too fast. They have shallow yet powerful wing beats and the speed of their flight gets them from point A to point B in a matter of milliseconds and I'm not quick enough with the camera yet to capture it, but enjoy it just the same with my binoculars.
After a while neither the pigeons nor the falcons are in the air anymore and there is one less pigeon on the ledge who had the misfortune of being too slow. The rest go on their favorite spot which is right near the bus stop waiting for the man who brings them stale bagels every afternoon and throws them whole onto the lawn of the 446 Main Street building. Swarms of Rock Pigeons, House Sparrows and European Starling arrive and fight amongst themselves and others for their fair share as the Peregrine Falcon sits on top of the Flagship logo having its own lunch. This is the bird world that goes on in urban downtown Worcester and a world that most don't see for they are too busy running for the bus, texting their friend or being hauled into the paddy wagon, I will take this world any day over the later.

Picture from July right across Crompton Park

The Red-tailed Hawks I blogged about in the past and took pictures of in July near Crompton Park are frequently around too. I saw them today with my binoculars over near the park where they would circle and soar in the air for a while and then kite. There are still two of them and they have been expanding their range a little closer to downtown some since the Peregrines have ceased beings so territorial. It will be interesting to see if they stick around all winter. My guess is they will as that area is their home base and are probably the two I saw last February.

Just thought I would give an update on the falcons. Take care all.