Matt Yawney had reported a Gyrfalcon in the hills
east of Soap Lake earlier this month on the Inland
Birders site. Andy Stepniewski had the bird again
earlier this week. Andy was kind enough to
provide some details when I spoke to him yesterday
and after failing to find a Harris's Sparrow at
Confluence Park in Wenatchee and again failing to
find a Long Eared Owl at Steamboat Rock State Park
(Banks Lake), I made a run for the Gyr yesterday
afternoon. There are a series of paved and
unpaved roads east of Soap Lake (N/S streets
lettered and E/W streets numbered) accessed off of
Hwy 28 (which heads out to Wilson Creek). I spent
almost two hours driving back and forth along all
the roads primarily looking for birds perched on
utility poles which is where Andy had the bird.
There were a number of raptors and Northern
Shrikes (including one immature) most of which
flew off poles quickly even when approached very
cautiously. The search was also complicated by an
extremely thick fog that precluded any meaningful
visibility on stretches of road.

As I was heading south on B Road NE towards the
intersection with 27th NE and coming out of one
fog bank, I saw a large bird perched on the third
pole to the right (west). I turned carefully just
on to 27th and stopped to take a look. It was
still quite distant but clearly a very large gray
falcon. Pretty crappy light but pretty great
bird. As I started to move the car westward to
hopefully get a photo, it took off and SPED across
the field to the south of 27th. I do not recall
every seeing such a burst of power as its long
slender pointed wings seemed to effortlessly
propel it along. It was gone in literally
seconds. I followed it for perhaps a quarter of a
mile before it disappeared - always flying low to
the ground more like a Harrier than a Buteo.
Stunningl powerful and gorgeous bird. I believe
this was pretty close to the same spot and
certainly the same area as the other sightings.

The sparrow and owl misses were more than made up
for by the Gyr...only my second one in Washington
and the first in (sad to admit) 40 years.
Otherwise birds were pretty spotty. Both eagles,
many Red Tails and Rough Legs, many Kestrels.
Ducks included Common Goldeneye, all three
mergansers, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Mallards,
Shovelers, Gadwall, Ring Necked, Pintails and
American Widgeon. Horned and Red Necked Grebes and
a pair of Common Loons. Man hundreds of House
Finches and fewer hundreds of House Sparrows. Many
Rock Pigeon and both Eurasian Collared and
Mourning Doves. Altogether I had just under 50
species for the day including one very special
large falcon.

--
Blair Bernson
Edmonds