Greetings All, Today's John Burroughs Natural Society Wallkill Valley Raptors field trip searched the environs of the Wallkill Valley with hopes of encountering the previously reported Slaty-backed Gull. At around 12:30 pm our train of five cars had worked it's way to the south side of the prison grounds on McKendrick Road when Jessica Prockup and I noticed a large falcon flying head-on to us, perpendicular to the vehicle. I said to Jess "nice we have a Peregrine for the day" but when I pulled over and put the bins up I was amazed to see a white morph Gyrfalcon! This caused me to stall the truck and jump out to grab everyone's attention. The bird banked and soared allowing for about half of our field party to get "life views" before it headed south west. This bird had no facial pattern, helmet, or mustache stripe and when soaring it's back and tail where almost white and very lightly barred eliminating Peregrine from consideration. Also visible while soaring the underwings and body were white and absolutely no sign of dark wingpits and the possibility of a Prairie Falcon. The falcon-like flight first noted, the long, broad tapered wings with rather blunt tips eliminated leucistic Red-tailed Hawk as well. Our group spent three more hours looking for this bird but were unable to relocate. The area around the prison offered many good birds today and I would recommend a search tomorrow.
Good luck and Great Birding! Mark DeDea -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
