Not 10 minutes
after I stepped onto the pedestrian bridge at High Falls, a Peregrine Falcon
swooped up from the falls side of the bridge and made a breathtaking flyover.
“It’s Hafoc,” said one of the regular falcon watchers, not even raising his
binoculars. The bird was barely eight feet above us — close enough to see
individual feathers and the bird’s blue leg-band. Before the Kodak falcon
project, I’d seen only a half-dozen Peregrines in a lifetime, and most of them
at a distance, so the moment brought a sudden rush of fulfillment. The bird of
kings was before us, at the Pont de Rennes, Rochester, New York, at our own
High Falls, three minutes away from Rochester’s four corners. The conditions
for observation are the very best — steady footing surrounded by a
rock-walled amphitheater carved over a period of 12,000 years by the rushing
waters of the Genesee River.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย You know us falcon watchers by our
optics — binoculars, spotting scopes, cameras. Luckily, I’d kept my 7X35s in
the car for just such an occasion.
As we speak,
if it’s daylight, one or more of the seven Rochester Peregrine Falcons may be
in view from the High Falls pedestrian bridge. If they’re not flying, they
could be perched nearby. The two parents, Mariah and Kaver, have dark
slatey-gray wings and backs, distinctive black patches on the sides of their
white throats, white breasts, and finely barred bellies and upper leg feathers.
And let’s not forget the feet — big yellow feet with scimitar-like talons —
the Peregrine’s weapons of the hunt.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The juveniles, until recently residents
of the breeding box on Kodak’s corporate tower, have a browner appearance —
black streaks over buff — with less distinct markings overall. But also big
yellow feet.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย You can tell who’s who among the
juveniles by the colored bands on their right legs. Pride, a female, has a red
band; Gahastey, a female, a yellow band; Alkyonis, another female, a white
band. Hafoc, the larger of the two males, has a blue band, and Grissom, the
other male, a green band. The colored tape was applied over US Fish and
Wildlife Service bands and will wear off eventually, leaving all the birds with
black USFWS bands on their right legs. The bands on the left legs were put on
by the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation — red/black on
females, green/black on males.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย At the pedestrian bridge you’re in
the middle of a giant diorama in pulsing 3-D, mega-pixel color, and 360ยฐ
surround-sound — the ultimate reality show.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Not just for Peregrines. In the 30
minutes I spent on the bridge I saw — far below — a White-tailed Deer,
Mallard Ducks, Canada Geese (complete with a trailing fleet of goslings), two
woodchucks, and a Great Blue Heron standing stalk-still on a rock. The heron
had been dive-bombed earlier by one of the juvenile falcons — just in fun. A
duck and one of the woodchucks got the same treatment. It was the duck’s lucky
day because in a week or so it could be for real. Up till about 30 years ago,
Peregrine Falcons were called Duck Hawks, because ducks make up a large part of
their diet.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Also coursing brashly around the
gorge was a feisty Kestrel, our smallest falcon species. With ultimate
chutzpah, the little Kestrel was determined to protect its own recently fledged
brood, and didn’t hesitate to harass the larger Peregrines whenever they seemed
to present a threat.
The young Peregrine Falcons are full of
the juice of discovery, practicing their new-found aeronautical skills for what
they most famously do — pursue, dive on, and stun prey, usually in mid-air.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย For a couple of weeks after fledging
(growing flight feathers), the five juveniles looked to the parent birds for
their meals — delivered to ledges on the Kodak Office tower. The riskiest
phase came during the transition from nest box to the limitless sky. To
shepherd the fledglings through this iffy stage, a Fledgling Watch was
organized by June Summers, president of the Genesee Valley Audubon Society, to
look out for the young birds — as they flopped, fluttered, and tumbled, to
lower tiers on the tower, and some to the ground below. Watch members were
given special training, supervised by a veterinarian, on the techniques of
befriending young falcons — how to remove them from harm’s way, where to take
them if they seemed to be hurt, and how to avoid injury from their sharp beaks
and claws.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Marcia Lyman is an experienced
Fledge Watcher and has a store of anecdotes about the young — and sometimes
foolish — birds, collected as she and her teammates tried valiantly to
maintain a running “beak count” of the new brood. One day she watched,
helpless, as Hafoc tried to land on a sloping Kodak roof. The surprised bird
slid ignominiously all the way to the bottom, but reappeared shortly afterward
none the worse for the experience. Brian Hearne is another dedicated watcher
— found often on the pedestrian bridge and always willing to share the latest
news.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย This year, two of the young birds,
Grissom and Alkyonis, were rescued by Fledge Watchers, one of whom was Jim
Pisello, the photographer for this article. Found on the ground in precarious
circumstances, the birds were taken to the project veterinarian who kept the
birds for a few days, making sure they are healthy and well fed, and strong
enough to resume their flight plans. When OK’d for release, their sibling and
parents welcomed them back with an enthusiastic show of aerial talent. And a
few days later, Alkyonis was again rescued, from a stroll along the pavement of
East Main Street.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย When the juveniles are flying on
their own, the parents help them learn to hunt by dropping food in mid-air.
Seeing the falling prey, the young birds dive and snatch it for a meal.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย By now, in mid July, the young birds
are all flying and hunting, mostly on their own. For a few weeks they will stay
close to home, then they’ll stray farther and farther up and down the Genesee
River gorge until in mid-August they will leave the area for parts unknown.
Peregrine, in fact, means wanderer. After the diaspora, the likelihood of
seeing falcons from the pedestrian bridge — juveniles or adults —
diminishes markedly. So carpe diem!
Peregrine Falcons are beautiful birds by any
measure, but much of their appeal derives from their power and lethal grace.
They fly with a disarming silkiness, so effortlessly they seem hardly to be
trying.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Animal rights advocates may be
understandably ambivalent about our efforts to build back the once-endangered
Peregrine Falcons’ populations. If we did to birds what falcons do to birds,
we’d be locked up for animal cruelty. Watching a falcon rip apart a pigeon on a
window ledge is not a gentling experience. Falcons get away with it because
it’s Nature’s way, and it is. Falcons have been catching birds and other prey
for millions of years, and it’s not likely that their feeding habits will
change in the future.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย I was curious about the official
stance of animal rights activists on natural predators, so I sent an e-mail to
PETA, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, asking for their official
position on Peregrine repopulation. Spokeswoman Stephanie Boyles said PETA
applauds the Kodak falcon project, and others like it, that have helped bring
the Peregrine Falcon back from the brink of extinction.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย For some falcon watchers, seeing a
strike in mid-air is the peak experience. One reason is simply the visual
excitement — the power dive is breathtaking and so distinctive it has a
special name, the stoop. This has always been the climactic moment of falconry.
The speed of a Peregrine Falcon in mid-stoop has been estimated at “between 100
and 200 miles per hour,” which would make it the fastest bird on earth. But the
wide range given belies the accuracy of the numbers. How would one measure such
an unpredictable and transitory event?
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Historically, falconry — hunting
small game with trained falcons — has been reserved for royalty, hence the
term “sport of kings.” Possession of falcons by commoners was forbidden. In
this country, possession of falcons, or any hawks, by anybody, is illegal
without a special license. Peregrine Falcons are not the only hawks used for
falconry, but they’ve always been top choice because of their dash and power.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย All falcons are classy birds. The
little Kestrels (formerly called Sparrow Hawks) whip around in fine style.
Falcons act as if they know what they’re doing. They’re very confident — in
that sense, regal, in command.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Juvenile Peregrines like to play —
swooping, darting at each other, chasing each other about, pursuing butterflies
and falling leaves, tumbling in pairs with talons interlocked, honing their
aerial skills. It’s a good show. But even if you only see one bird from the
bridge, and that one is perched, it will have been well worth the effort.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Legally, the Kodak Peregrine Falcons
are wards of New York State. They’re also protected by federal law. Having made
a comeback from near extinction due to DDT in the food chain — which made
their eggs too fragile for incubation — the birds have been removed from the
federal endangered species list, but are still considered endangered by the New
York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
This is the sixth year for the Kodak Falcon Project. It
was started in 1998 by Dennis Money, environmental analyst for Rochester Gas
and Electric. The nest box and cameras are now maintained by Kodak in close
cooperation with the DEC — a member of which participated in the banding on
June 4. Money also spearheaded the successful Western-Central New York River
Otter Restoration Project.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Even after the falcon family
disperses in late summer, we may still be able to keep track of Hafoc. He has a
transmitter harnessed to his back that sends signals to a satellite, thence to
trackers who hope to learn more about the migration of male Peregrines. Many
juvenile falcons simply disappear off the radar screen, never to be seen again.
The first-year attrition rate is pretty high, mostly from crashing into things
during migration. One of last year’s brood, Isaura, apparently had a fatal
collision with an airplane. She was found dead near an airport runway. All we
can do is wish the new brood good luck and look for parents Mariah and Kaver to
be back next spring.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Falcon watchers come from other
states, other continents. And those who don’t actually come regularly check out
the Kodak Birdcam website’s discussion board. To date, in 2004, there have been
more than 23,000 postings. With the birds flown, the discussion board shuts
down July 21. To check it out again next March, Google for “Kodak Birdcam
2005.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย So get out on the bridge and take
advantage of this special opportunity. Falconeers are a friendly bunch, and watching
falcons is a social event. Just walk up to somebody with binoculars and ask,
“What’s happening?” You’ll be clued in to the latest action. Let us know what
you see.
This article appears in Jul 21-27, 2004.
