Subject: Thanks for the Gyrfalcon
Date: Nov 2 18:32:33 2003
From: Carol Riddell - cariddell at mac.com
Thank you, Ed Kane, for posting the location of the gray morph Gyrfalcon
yesterday. After spending the morning scrubbing the bathroom from top to
bottom (why does it take so long?) and watching the weather improve, I
decided to reward myself with a quick trip up to Snohomish. I arrived at
the farm field at 3 p.m. and saw a patch of white in the southernmost tree.
Got out, set up the scope, zoomed in, and enjoyed my first observation of a
Gyrfalcon. I decided to drive down the road to get a different view of the
bird and did so. I just focused on it for the second time when it decided
to leave the tree and fly east. So I abandoned the scope, lifted my binocs
and watched it fly away. It was gone by 3:10 p.m. What timing!
Since this was a life bird for me, I obviously have nothing to compare it
to. The white breast seemed more like Sibley's drawing of an adult
Peregrine rather than his illustration of the gray adult Gyrfalcon. But the
size was definitely not Peregrine. Any comments about the white breast?
What a delight to have seen this bird.
Good birding to all and to all a good night,
Carol Riddell
Edmonds