Fabulous videos!
Thanks for sharing.
Alan Roedell, Seattle

On Fri, Nov 1, 2019, 8:51 AM Marv Breece <marvbreece at q.com> wrote:


> Although I birded several locations in Skagit County yesterday, Hayton

> Reserve on Fir Island was by far the most productive. This post is about

> Hayton only.

>

> At 4PM I noticed a juv gray GYRFALCON perched on a root wad. On first

> glance I knew the mantle color was wrong for any plumage of peregrine;

> neither was it right for prairie. But I wouldn't allow my head to go to

> gyr until I saw that the wing tips fell far short of the tail tip on this

> perched bird. In my experience, an October gyr is not to be expected. The

> locals were unhappy with the new visitor, as the gyr was repeatedly strafed

> by harriers and at least 1 peregrine. When it took to the air, the gyr

> had to fight for air space with one of the peregrines. It was quite a

> show. I didn't see the gyr leave the area last night & don't know if it

> will remain. I hope so.

>

> The adult LIGHT MORPH HARLAN'S RED-TAILED HAWK first appeared perched in a

> distant tree across the big pond. It took me a while to be confident it

> was a Harlan's and not a juv Western Red-tail. This Harlan's has obvious

> spectacles. It is very white below. And although most of the tail is red,

> a close look will reveal white at the base of the tail. This may be the

> same bird I observed 6 times between October 10 & November 29, 2017. I did

> not see it in 2018.

>

> Finally, a word about sunset and snows last night. The spectacular

> sunset, with the sight and sound of thousands of SNOW GEESE overhead, en

> route to roost for as far as the eye can see, was something to behold.

>

> 5 videos of the day: https://www.flickr.com/photos/138163614 at N02/

>

>

> Marv Breece

> Tukwila, WA

> marvbreece at q.com

>

>

> "Don't believe everything you read on the internet."

> - Thomas Jefferson

>

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