Hi Tweets,

This morning I was hearing an unfamiliar bird call moving around my
neighborhood. I know I've heard it before, but just couldn't place it. I
finally did see the birds when they landed in a neighbor's tree. They were
Evening Grosbeaks, the first ones for the year for me here in Elma.

While searching for the grosbeaks, I caught a glimpse of a raptor in the sky
overhead. It made a broad sweeping turn and went out of view quickly. Its
underside was all white with black wing tips. It had a stocky appearence.
Looking through Sibley's takes me to a white adult Gryfalcon. That just
seems odd to me though. The habitat around here consists of broken forests
dominated by conifers with clearcuts in various stages. Could a Gyrfalcon
be passing through the area at this time of year?

Tim O'Brien
Elma, WA
mailto: kertim7179 at centurytel.net