Bird Cams Around the World

Great pictures, Matrix! You are turning into quite the photographer! And Beth, I really like the picture at the heading of Canton's thread!

Better head for your favorite elevator shaft, Mystic and Mo! We've got some cold weather coming!

Yep! Lets hope they and all the birds out there keep warm...Thank You all for the comments on the pics! Today something went wrong when I took pics. I did put some on the FB page. Stay safe and Warm as possible everyone!!

Today's Watch:

Arrived downtown at noon, and had to really drive around a while before finding M&M. They were perched on the extreme Northwest corner of the Chase Tower, Mystic on the window and Mo on the decorative building ornament. Mystic was preening and Mo was dozing... A little while later it became apparent he had eaten well, after I caught him on camera after a small mission he did. So he is earning his right to be full!
After checking the pair out from below, I ventured up to the garage where I could see a new sight...ALL the pigeons were on the roof of the Chase Tower! There were absolutley no pigeons anywhere else downtown..Some flew in from different directions, but they all landed on the roof...Now less than 15 feet below them, M&M were perched on the side of the CT... I had to think about why this was...
One possible reason soon made itself known... The whole flock lifted off at once, and there went Maurice!!! The flock followed above him and as fast as he was moving west, I knew he wasn't after the pigeons, unless it was a stray one down Tusc Ave...When he disappeared behind the various buildings that way, I caught a glimpse of what he was after....HAWK! I could hear him vocalizing (the call is very loud) and the hawk was booking it low until they both went behind the PB building and I lost track..the hawk was either a Sharp Shinned or Cooper's...It appeared smaller than Mo, so I am guessing it was a "sharpie" This happens so fast I did not even get pics, so only the story will have to do... But I WAS ready for his return to the downtown area...and he came back flapping in a very haughty way, kind of like a pigeon when it smacks it's wings during courtship...He headed over to where Mystic was and they stayed there for a while... The pigeons resettled on the rook of the CT.. Now, to me, it was appearing that with the hawk pressuring the pigeons, maybe due to the cold, the pigeons responded by moving closer to the falcons...M&M could not leave their perch, without the pigeons knowing it...Hmmm, whats the saying? Keep you friends close and your enemies even closer?!!!
At 2:45 the flock took off, and there came a falcon circling and swooping around the CT from the east where a headwind pushed her up fast over the top of the building, she was dead set on hunting the pigeons...Dives and swoops, the flock breaking up and the adrenaline rush of trying to keep up with the falcon as it manuvers and dives...Loosing it in the lens and regaining it by eye...This was definetley Mystic hunting...She doesn't mess around, and tends to be direct with her hunts. If she misses, she pulls back and floats away pretty quick. She ended up leaving downtown and heading to AEP, followed shortly by Mo. They stayed away till 3:30 when one appeared on the Key building sign. Not long though, as it came fast over to the CT an first, hovered, and then, landed on the roof where the flock was just moments before...After looking thru pics, it was Mystic again, and to my amazement..the flock began to land up there with her!!!!!!!On foot, she rushed at the nearest ones, and the flock took off again and wheeled just over her...as she looked back toward the AEP tower... After a few minutes she took off and attempted a kill over by the Key building, where some of the flock had went to roost on the windowsills. Again unsuccesful, she flew over and back to the AEP tower...Left about 4:30 when neither came back and the setting sun made it impossible to see in the direction of the AEP tower...
Wanted to throw out there a thought... Isn't it strange that the pigeons don't get the heck out of downtown? It is their "home" too, and pigeons will fly long distances to come "home", but with the daily hunting by M&M, it seems crazy to stay put. There has to be a benifit to staying, I would think?

Oh Matrix! You da man! Thank you for going down there to check on M&M.. Crazy pigeons! I can only think they embrace the idea "strength in numbers".. It's probably harder to pick out a victim if there is a whole bunch of them? I wonder if all the birds will be hiding out tomorrow in the face of the cold and wind?

Thanks TSusan! I have not figured out what the reason is....but those pigeons know when M&M are NOT hunting... I think it is the lesser of two or more "evils" to put up with the hunting of two peregrines instead of the many hawks that would be after them, if M&M were not there. Last year when Mo was not around in the winter, Mystic let a large sub-adult Cooper's Hawk, perch and hunt right downtown, until february, when a subadult Cooper's was found dead at the Chase Tower. That was the same time frame Maurice and her were beginning their bonding, when he came back from his hidy spot... Seeing him go after that hawk last weekend, and how M&M are always together this winter, is so different than last winter...
Just glad to be able to note the progress our pair is making...She wants to be right near him, and he is still too afraid to let her get close...
Now...to catch him getting a pigeon on film, and photograph some nookie between the two!! LOL... The first thaw will no doubt provide some results, from what I've seen..Just being in the right spot at the right time!! ...Hopefully I have a second photographer with me for when you have two people, you can cover all four sides of the Chase Tower!!

( "Visiting" your forum from South Bend)




Wow Matrix great report and some really thrilling pictures !! Thank you !! Really glad that I dropped by. :)



sbwatcher

Hi sbwatcher! Thanks for visiting, too!! I check the cam at South Bend quite a bit! With all the snow gone thought.. perhaps someone may visit..but i did not see anyone... But at least your cam is in operation!! We are not sure of what our cam is going to do this year...
i hope to get downtown soon to at least see M&M... This is the begining of territory takeover time...so hope to get there at least once a week....

for the generous pics comment!!


Side Note.....going by first egg laid date in 2013.....we are 64 days away from a first possible egg, by Mystic...

January Thaw....
Today's Watch, 1/14/14...

Maurice and Mystic were on their usual perches on the North side of the CT when I arrived downtown. They must have eaten earlier, for they did not budge for a long period of time. Not even a northbound redtail hawk got them moving. It circled lazily west of downtown, letting the wind carry it north over McKinley Monument, and the park. Meanwhile, as M&M sat on the North side of the CT, a few pigeons courted and inspected M&M's nestbox. Even after Maurice finally flew west, getting the pigeons moving, one pigeon remained on the porch of the nestbox. Mo chased a small group North toward the Onesto Hotel and Mo hit one that eluded him by diving down the alley and he did not follow it down. He then cruised up and appeared over the top of the CT, looking down at the nestbox area, which made the one pigeon on the porch of the nestbox, dive down, and fly around the building, to join it's comrades flying in the flock...Mo then glided around the downtown and did a swoop that carried him back up to the North side perch, by Mystic.
All remained calm till around 4:30 when Mo again appeared to the west of the CT and stirred up the pigeons, but instead of chasing them, he went to the top of the PB antennae. Mystic made a run on the pigeons near the Key building, but half heartedly, and she also flew up to the PB antennae, but landed on a low spot. they both remained there, until Mystic flew to the CT and landed on a South windowsill, just below the nestbox. Mo followed her for a minute, landing a few windows down. He then went to the Huntington building, where a tiny antennae makes a good perch on the North side of the building. Mystic followed him and flew up toward him and he left the antennae as she was landing. He then flew to the Key building, stirring up the pigeons, giving chase, but missed, and quicly returned to the Huntington, but landed on the letters behind Mystic. This is where they remained till dark, when I left.


Mystic Landing on PB Antennae:



Mystic and Maurice.... He left... as she came in to land:


More Pics on the Facebook Page

Great photos!

When camera will be online?

Thank You Ciuciek!

I do not know when Camera will be turned on. I hope the cam owners figure out what they are doing soon! It would be nice PR to have at least a brief message on the cam site, but that has fallen on deaf ears...

nice photos and great report

Thank You Bev!

Thank you Matrix for those great pictures of Mystic and Mo! They seem very confident of "their space" here at Canton. Here's hoping they will show interest in the nestbox soon, and maybe the Powers That Be will realize its time to boot up the cam!!

Thanks TSusan!

1-19-14 Watch....

Maurice was on the Northwest corner of the CT when we arrived downtown. Ray and I spotted a lone Bald eagle circling just east of downtown. After a brief hunt, Mo flew to the Hunington antennae and stayed glued there for a long period of time. Mystic was absent from the CT, and much later appeared from the Key building direction, circling the CT, and landing on the Southwest corner just down from the nestbox. She then flew up to him, and as he did the previous watch, he left the antennae as she landed. However, after he flew up into the cubby, and flew back out, he did a display flight to the Key Building and back to the antennae, to land and sit with Mystic. They both stayed for some time until Mystic left and landed back on the east side of the CT, while Mo stayed circled downtown again, and came back to land on the letters of the Huntington Building. Alot of posturing and whining were occuring during the time they sat together on the antennae... Their hormones are elevating... Spring is just around the corner for the pair!

Pics on Facebook page!!