MD Osprey:

I am taking the liberty of forwarding this immediately to the list ..

 From an Internet search, it appears that Stacey 
lives near Adirondack Drive in the Frederick 
area, west of Rt 15 and north of Ft. Deterick.

Phil


>From: "Stacey Herbst" <>
>To: <>
>Subject: gyrfalcon!
>Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:47:04 -0500
>
>I am so excited to report that I saw a gyrfalcon 
>in my neighborhood in Frederick, MD this 
>morning!  I am a very experienced birder (over 
>20 years) and I got an excellent view of him.
>
>Today while leaving my neighborhood, I noticed a 
>large “hawk” ahead on the road picking at 
>carrion.  ??  They usually don’t do that, and it 
>caught my attention.  I drove closer, and this 
>thing just wouldn’t leave.  It actually tried to 
>pick up the possum carcass and fly with it, but 
>it was too heavy, so the bird sat back down on 
>the road.  I stopped about 20 feet from it and I 
>knew immediately what it was, having seen a pair 
>of these about 20 years ago in PA as identified 
>by an expert birder.  It was a gyrfalcon!  I am 
>100% certain, no doubt about it whatsoever, I 
>wouldn’t report it if I wasn’t positive.  I 
>watched it for a full minute at close range 
>(20-40 feet as it moved from the road to an 
>adjacent dogwood tree).  About 22”, long 
>squarish falcon tail, gray/brown streaked and 
>mottled, long legs, whitish strip over the eye… 
>Of course, I consulted my references when I got 
>home, but really, nothing else matches this 
>description.  I am very familiar with the other 
>species in our area, and this was nothing I’m 
>used to seeing.  Although why he was scavenging, 
>I’m not sure.  Winter must be especially harsh 
>up north to have pushed him this far 
>south.  Very rare, very cool.  Saw him again on 
>the way back.  I’ve been watching out the window 
>hoping to see him again and get a picture.
>
>Hope you find that as exciting as I did!
>
>Stacey Herbst
>
>

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Phil Davis      Davidsonville, Maryland     USA
                 mailto:[log in to unmask]
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