Subject: [Tweeters] Gyrfalcon in Snoqualmie Valley?
Date: Jan 19 13:23:58 2010
From: henneq - henneq at comcast.net


Thanks for all of your responses. The consensus is that this bird is
definitely a Gyrfalcon. Bud Anderson called it an "18 month old gray
gyrfalcon".



Henne Queisser



From: henneq [mailto:henneq at comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, January 18, 2010 10:27 PM
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Tweeters] Gyrfalcon in Snoqualmie Valley?



We had a lovely day in the Snoqualmie Valley today. We a nice view of one
of the Peregrines at Snoqualmie Falls, many Red-Tailed Hawks, some Trumpeter
swans and a Bald Eagle harrassing the numerous geese, including a small
group of Greater White-Fronted Geese. On the way home, near Carnation
Farm/Camp Korey we spotted another falcon in a tree very close to the road.
It looked somewhat like a Peregrine, but chubbier with indistinct markings.
It flew towards Sikes Lake. We followed it there and found it sitting in
the field. As we puzzled over the ID (we are both novices), Mike Hamilton
came along with his camera. Then another birder, Dave, drove by and we all
leaned toward identifying it as a Gyrfalcon. Here are the photos that Mike
took:



http://edandhenne.smugmug.com/Animals/Birds/Falcon-in-Snoqualmie-Valley/1098
5654_HHSMw#767951799_hRkx8



It is a Gyr or something else?



Thanks.



Henne Queisser and Ed Freedman

Redmond, WA