Hi,
On the heels of the first Tweeters Gyrfalcon sighting of the season, I thought I should mention that a grad student in Fairbanks, AK, Travis Booms, has put colored leg bands on several Alaskan gyrs this year. They have put radio transmitters on 10 juveniles plus color-banded a total of about 30 gyrfalcons. Adults will have a purple leg band with an alpha numeric code on the right leg, although it is unlikely the adults will come our way.
Juveniles, on the other hand, will have an orange alpha numeric band on the left leg. They could easily show up within Tweeters range this winter. Alpha numeric just means they have a number and/or letter on the band so you can identify individual falcons. We have found with our local peregrines that you can read these letters/numbers pretty well by scope. It just takes a bit of patience waiting for the bird to preen, defecate or stretch to be able to read the numbers.
If you see one of these birds, you can contact Travis directly at travisbooms at hotmail.com.

Bud Anderson
Falcon Research Group
Box 248
Bow, WA 98232
(360) 757-1911
bud at frg.org