Print Page - SAN JACINTO: Off-course Arctic gyrfalcon draws bird watchers

http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20120208-san-jacinto-off-course-arctic-gyrfalcon-draws-bird-watchers.ece (http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20120208-san-jacinto-off-course-arctic-gyrfalcon-draws-bird-watchers.ece)

Thats a great sighting,Ive seen but one in the wild(CPF has 2) and it was an escaped bird here in Toronto. It was to be shipped overseas to a middle eastern falconer. It got loose during transport at the airport.
There are Gryfalcons that live year round in Calgary area of Alberta Canada,so that one made it to California though rare doesnt suprise me alot. About once every 5 years or so one is seen in southern Ontario someplace. Last year it was around Kingston Ontario,none have been reported this season.
The one I saw was on an old light. When it did fly it screamed like it was begging for food. Every little evergreen out there had a cowering bunny under it. I thought the bird may be an escaped bird cuz of the food begging call and it kept flying side to side past me. I offered my arm to land on but it wouldnt come. I wasnt involved so much with CPF and at the time wasnt sure it was a falconry bird so didnt report it. Later it came to light that this bird was being seen all along the Toronto lakeshore from eastend to westend. One photo I got we could see the breeders band,so that sinched it as an escaped bird.

Rfalconcam Forum

Other Nature Related Information => General Nature Discussion => Topic started by: Donna on 08-Feb-12, 07:54:59 PM