The Spirit of Skye

To Wander around the world, as Peregrine Falcons do. Eventually Skye would like to return to Rochester, NY, where she was born.

The Spirit of Skye is a small Peregrine Falcon keychain, named after Skye, who was one of the 5 wild falcons hatched and raised in a nest box atop the Kodak Office Tower in Rochester, NY (USA) in 2005. A pair of falcons - Mariah (female) and Kaver (male) return each year to this nestbox to raise their brood for the year. This nest box is special in many ways: there are always 5 cameras aimed at the nest which allows people from all over the world to follow the progress of the family:


(see: (visit link) ).


Many of these folks care deeply about the welfare of the falcons - there is even a local group who watches over their progress, helping only when absolutely necessary, otherwise enjoying the magnificence of these incredible raptors.



Skye was one fledgling who got into a spot of trouble, and required assistance for a few days before being released again back to the nest box. Before she was released, she was fitted with a small transmitter which allowed us to follow her progress as she matured and moved on. I was one of the lucky people who were able to watch the careful process of putting the transmitter on her, and it moved me in ways that I can't begin to explain. Unfortunately, after a few months the signal stopped moving, and eventually she was found up near Hudson Bay, the victim of a fox or coyote who snuck up on her as she was feeding.



So, in memory of one very special falcon, I will release this TB to do what Skye could not - travel around the world and bring joy to those who find her.

(psst - make sure you give her a good squeeze... you'll hear a recording of a falcon kakking!)