If I were a bird in the area, I would be getting out of Dodge! Everything from Snow Buntings to Canada Geese seemed to be on the menu! I watched as this behemoth hunted a Herring Gull, and apparently it had knocked a Canada Goose out of the air just before I got there!
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| Gyr sizing me up, if I was just a bit smaller and had wings... |
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| If a Gyr poops on you, is it good luck? Didn't realize I caught this until I got home! |
I loved watching this bird fly! So much power! It was a bit too fast for my little point and shoot but I still got one in flight shot.
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Below are some distant shots of the Gyrfalcon hunting a Herring Gull. The gull eventually got away I believe, but it was close!
I felt really lucky to see one of my most wanted birds today, an experience I won't soon forget!
Good to know you got this long-staying bird! It sometimes takes some patience to find it, but many are getting the bird on their "life" list.
ReplyDeleteNice photos and congrats on getting a new life bird. Would be a lifer for me to if I had time To go see it.
ReplyDeleteThanks guys!Yea it was a real thrill to see this bird, one of my most wanted for a long time!
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Nate......one can't really appreciate how powerful the flight is until you see it first hand. Birds that they are hunting have little to no chance. I suspect it was just playing with the Herring Gull, as it would be no real challenge for the Gyr.
ReplyDeleteThanks Allen, yea I was surprised at just how large and powerful this bird was! Flight was effortless and fast, and I thought it was likely playing with the goose too, since it apparently just let it go. What a treat to observe!
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