Went with a birding friend to try and find the gyr near Monroe/Snohomish, I
was following her car and listening to my gps with little idea of where we
actually were. Then suddenly we are looking at numerous cars up and down
the lane, and photographers happily snapping away. I hurried to park,
grabbed my camera and got out. I looked straight up and there in the tree
right along the roadway beside the white house the gyrfalcon quietly
perched and watched all us below. One birder actually knelt down in the
middle of the road to get a shot. Everyone was smiling. After endless
minutes ticked by, the gyr slowly opened its wings flying off in a wide
circle towards the upper hill. Photo is here:

http://tlstokespoetry.500px.com/gyrfalcon_rare_arctic_visitor

Saw two red-tailed hawks perched near a fairly large well-designed nest,
not sure if it was theirs or not, then they flew off, one circling slowly
around. One bald eagle in the far field.

Drove up to Snohomish then through Monroe, Duvall, stopping at Chinook Bend
where a hawk perched right by the parking lot. Next stop at the large bald
eagle nest in Carnation (no eagles near the nest), another hawk was perched
by the parking lot. They all made it easy for me to see them. Not
experienced enough to id hawks yet. Plenty of snow geese in the fields by
Snohomish/Monroe. Great day for hiking!

Teresa Stokes
tlstokespoetry(at)gmail.com
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