Hi All,
My freind and I were treated to excellent views of
the Gyr Falcon on Thanksgiving morning. As we
approached the intersection of the Bow Hill Rd. and
the Bayview Edison Rd. we saw a car pulled over on the
shoulder, and instinctively knew before we were able
to see the bird that this was it. It was perched on a
short utility pole at the 90 degree bend in the Bow
Hill Rd. about 350 meters East of the intersection
with the Bayview Edison Rd.
We watched the bird for quite some time in our
scope before it flew to the ground adjacent to the
small canal which runs east from here. The bird did
quite a bit of walking and hopping in the grass, and
finally settled where it began to pick at something,
possibly an old kill about 2 meters from a Great-blue
Heron. At this point a Harrier came and swooped on
the Gyr several times before leaving. Also, just east
of the Gyr was a Red-tail, also on the ground, and the
two engaged in some head bobbing at each other on and
off.
After a few minutes the Gyr took off and pumped
straight for the Red-tail , and made two swoops at it
which knocked the Red-tail off kilter and left it
disoriented. After this the Gyr made a long flight,
east and then south straight for the previously
offending Harrier. The Harrier noticed and tried to
speed up a bit, but a clash was inevitable. The two
tangoed a bit, and then the Gyr left and perched on a
pole in a horse pasture, and the Harrier flew to a
field where it perched and preened, and probably
pondered its new cohabitant.
Anyway, a great morning, lots of other hawks,
Northern Shrike, Long-tailed Duck, Pipits, etc.. I
was so glad to see the bird fly, and seemingly with
purpose. I was amazed at how shallow, yet rapid and
powerful the wing beats were.

Drew Wheelan
Maple Falls, Wa
awheelan at hermaninstitute.org

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