Tweets,

I was crossing the Waterville Plateau this afternoon and found a beautiful
adult gray phase Gyrfalcon 7 or 8 miles east of Mansfield. It appeared to be
a female, by its large size. The bird was perched atop a glacial erratic
about 300 feet north of the road. I was able to approach within about 100
feet before it flew southwest into the wind, landing again across the road.
The neck and upper breast feathers appeared to have a pinkish hue,
suggesting it may have just completed a bloody meal. Its crop didn't appear
to be full though. In past years, this area has hosted a good population of
Gray Partridges, which wintering gyrs on this part of the plateau apparently
favor. Not many waterfowl spend the winter in this frozen landscape.

Earlier in the day I found three Common Redpolls in Twisp.


Scott Ray
Yakima