Hi, Tweets

A third trip, and on a perfect gyrfalcon day, to see the Snohomish valley
gyr proved unsuccessful. Both my friend, a falconer, and myself are pretty
knowledgeably about raptors, but we could not conjur up the gyr, no matter
what. What we did see on this rainy and overcast day: every redtail in that
section of the valley!, two adult bald eagles, one brown and one adult male
harrier, an adult Cooper's hawk, and ca. 60 trumpeter swans.

I've seen several special birds this year, but, still, every year when I go
to Salt Creek, the sight of 2-300 turkey vultures coming in fairly low off
the Strait of Juan de Fuca with their slow, deliberate, quite beautiful
flight, I have to say that they are my birds of the year. I guess knowing
that they have made that water-crossing and that they are probably tired,
makes them appear a bit 'valiant' to me, anthropomorphisms aside. Vultures
really don't like flitting over the seas (I don't think).

Have a Happy New Year!

Cheers, Diann
___________________________
Diann MacRae
Olympic Vulture Study
22622 - 53rd Avenue S.E.
Bothell, WA 98021
mailto: tvulture at halcyon.com
http://www.halcyon.com/tvulture/