Bird Cams Around the World

Athena and Six dive bombed a third falcon who mistakenly chose to perch on the building. At first we thought someone was on the roof.

Bonnie & I were in JC this morning from roughly 8:30 - 10:45. First let me thank Bonnie for driving me to and from JC (I'm without a car for probably awhile). A huge favor and one I'm very thankful for!!

As a follow-up to her above report, we're beginning to think the 3rd falcon might've been the 3rd kid! After discussing how things unfolded, and especially Athena & Six's behavior, their dive-bombs seemed directed at something other than the falcon atop the parapet. This was occuring on the very top roof of 101 Hudson (maybe 12 feet or more above where the scrape is). The falcon in question was perched atop a parapet on that highest part of the building, so if it was indeed the 3rd kid, how'd he get up there? That remains the big question of the day. We wondered if he had gone down to a lower ledge, was picked up and released on the very top roof. However, Bonnie talked to 2 building personnel who didn't know about any rescue/releases occuring. We thought it a bit unlikely that he would've flown up there from scrape-level. So that's still a head-scratcher.

I missed it leaving the parapet (Bonnie did see it flapping), and during the commotion of the adults flying (and before the falcon was seen on the parapet), there did appear to be a falcon flapping differently than the adults (i.e. less fluid). No kakking was heard during this, which makes us believe it wasn't an intruder (as well as not seeing the adults escort anyone out of the airspace).

After the falcon disappeared from the parapet, Athena was perched on a parapet on that same top level, but on the corner allowing her to keep watch over the other 2 kids below, as well as the top roof, while Six was perched on the far west side of the building, on the 41st floor watching the 2 kids.

A few minutes later, Athena took off and began strafing the scrape roof area, and Six flew over and landed on a parapet a little east of the scrape. This time Athena was kakking away, and it was the classic aerial defense she's become infamous for. That lasted a couple of minutes, then she returned to the top parapet, while Six flew off and headed northeast (lost sight of him, but he likely went to the top point of nearby 10 Exchange Place). By the time we left, the 2 kids already on ledges had dropped back down to the roof areas (same floor). Athena remained at her parapet, watching over both the kids below her, and remaining very attentive to that top roof area.

The strafing of the scrape roof really made us think about a possible release (perhaps a building engineer released the 3rd kid on the top roof, then peeked out the scrape roof door to see if it flew down, or to see where the other 2 were?). And maybe it hadn't been reported to the front desk yet? We'll have to wait and see/hear what develops.

It was certainly an active & exciting 1st day of ledge/fledge watch!! Pics will be posted sometime later today!

OK, Mike is waiting for me to post. Got these with my new(used) 600mm. You all probably do not need a description. Our mystery falcon is the one hunched over on the top parapet. Athena and Six are obvious and our big girl is BIG!! and FLUFFY!! I think we should name her Miss Fluff Stuff. Our boy chowed down for about 15 minutes. And we didn't see the third one, the second boy. Names???


Jersey City Peregrines 6-10-12-6 by brtalluto, on Flickr


Jersey City Peregrines 6-10-12-1 by brtalluto, on Flickr


Jersey City Peregrines 6-10-12-4 by brtalluto, on Flickr


Jersey City Peregrines 6-10-12-5 by brtalluto, on Flickr


Jersey City Peregrines 6-10-12-7 by brtalluto, on Flickr


Jersey City Peregrines 6-10-12-9 by brtalluto, on Flickr

Great, clear shots Bonnie. Hope all goes well and everyone stays on the roof for a while!

Awesome shots Bonnie!!

Here are some flight shots of mine. 1st, an adult flying along the 39/40th floor of 101:


Six flying up to land on a 41st floor ledge (quite a bit to the west/right of the screaming kids of course ):


One of the adults flying air-cover, and the mystery falcon on the parapet to the left:


One of the dives:



Another circle:


Athena in full defense-mode, when we thought someone peeked out the roof door:

I recieved a call earlier from a friend who sometimes goes to JC during fledge-watch. He & his wife were downtown on the riverfront yesterday from 4:30-6:00 p.m. They watched both adults flying around between 101 Hudson and 10 Exchange Place.

At one point, a 3rd falcon showed up! It was flying with it's tail completely spread and flapping continuously. They described it's flight as awkward/non-adult. Six came in and flew along & underneath it, and that's when they saw that the flappy falcon was a female!! Both birds flew back over 101 Hudson and out of view. They didn't re-sight the 3rd falcon before they left (and their perch on the riverfront didn't let them see the part of 101 Hudson that Bonnie & I were watching earlier in the day, so they didn't get a head-count of the youngsters).

So apparently our young female (albeit probably unintentionally) took a brief flight!!

One of the kids (maybe one of the boys) was hanging out in the box for awhile this morning.


After an adult showed up on the parapet behind the box, he/it went outside.

Great video, thanks for sharing that! Turtle Back Zoo is in my town as well, they've got a nice raptor exibit (including a pair of Bald Eagles, in addition to the Peregrine)!

Thanks. That news piece has been well received here in New York, too.

Wow, your fledge watch isn't boring, huh? Glad you've figured out that your mystery falcon is actually one of the kids!

That article on the Atlantic City nest was great & I'm so glad the casino is waiting to install their sign until the kids can safely leave the nest. I have been following those falcons for several years, & apparently the casino employees love their falcons. Thanks for posting the article, Mike, & the video, Kittenface!

Wonderful photos, Bonnie & Mike! You 2 are soooo good!

One of the kids came by to check things out, poked around for some scraps, then laid down under the box when a brief shower moved through. Had to leave for a bit after 1 p.m., not sure if it's still there. I did see an adult fly off from above the cam.

One of the kids hung out on the ledge just to the right of the box for quite awhile. Lots of preening and wing/tail stretching.


An adult briefly perched atop the box parapet (just visible under the black bar). Shortly after this pic, another falcon flew by (no way to tell who it was), and the adult took off and followed (not aggressively though).


A few minutes later, the kid began flappercizing and running on the ledge. It then jumped onto the roof, then back up on the ledge to the right of that 2nd parapet and off-camera.

New Jersey DEP is featuring the falcons for awhile. Great quotes by Mike.

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/

Workers from nearby 10 Exchange Place got in touch with DEP today, and reported one of the kids on their roof (they didn't specify which terrace; there are several on the west side of the building, a favorite hang-out of the kids over the years). They said it took a short flight from the building and back (while both adults circled overhead), then it flew back to 101 Hudson! So it sounds like one had a few good flights today.

Thinking about names. I texted Mike. I like to personalize the falcons :))

Of course our big girl has to be Miss Fluff.
One boy, Buzz for Aldrin from Montclair (close by)
Second boy, Frank for Sinatra from Hoboken (also close by)

Couldn't find a famous person from Jersey City.

I haven't watched them enough this year to really determine personalities.

Going by how each boy behaved during banding, 18/AM was the fiesty one (kept grabbing Kathy's hand!), so perhaps he should be Buzz (especially since Buzz Aldrin had enough drive to explore that he went for a walk on the moon!!). The other boy, 17/AM, was more laid-back, so Frank (or Frankie) is good. Miss Fluffy has probably lost the rest of her down by now, so I think we should put the thinking caps back on for her name.

Around 11:44 a.m., I briefly saw one of the kids flap-running on the roof at the bottom end of the cam's range.

OK. Checked the famous Jersey people list. Anne Morrow Lindbergh - Annie or Lindy? perhaps??

Hmm, who else was on the list?

Ok I remembered Conserve Wildlife honors women. Jackie, a wild bird rehabilitator, and Erica Miller of Tri State Bird Rescue were awarded in 2011. We can go with Jackie or Erica. We know Jackie from Phung Luu and Animal Behavior Associations who has our Jack from 2011 is one great gal, too.

How about Jackie in honor of two great bird women?