[obol] More Gyr Info

From: Tim Rodenkirk <timrodenkirk@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 15:56:17 -0700
Yeah, so Gyrs (one, two who knows?) are following the Aleutians down, we
have known this for years.  The Gyrs are arriving when the big numbers of
Aleutians are here.  Most years the Aleutians are in by late September and
mostly gone by mid-November but a few hundred have started to overwinter.
Their wintering and migration staging areas are fairly plastic and have
changed over the past decade although they seem to use the New River
bottoms area both in the spring and fall.  There are in fact credible
oversummering records in recent years also!  I have some more specific info:

Our first Floras Lake Gyr sighting was in 2001, there had been very few Gyr
sightings ever in either Coos or Curry before that.  Aleutian Cackling
Geese numbers were beginning their rebound then and use the private
pastures (New River bottomlands) north of there.

Sep. 22, 2003- first Gyr sighting in Coos Bay, bird overwintered on North
Spit, frequent reports from the New River bottoms that year- one or two
birds?

Sept. 26, 2004 first sighting in New River bottoms, bird overwintered there
and was seen taking Aleutians down regularly.

Overwintered same area next winter (2005/2006).

Sept. 27, 2006 first Coos Bay sighting. I heard bird was overwintering down
in New River bottoms, but never personally saw it.

Oct. 23, 2007 first sighting in Coos Bay. Still in New River bottomlands?
Hard to say as people had become "use" to seeing them and I had reports of
Gyrs year-round at Cape Blanco (the host was telling this to people at one
point). Obvious confusion between Peregrines and Gyrs.

early November 2008 first New River bottoms sightings I heard of.

2009/2010- overwintered in New River bottoms

From 2010 I didn't hear much until this year but I heard that birds were
sighted off and on.  Also I think this coincides with reports starting in
CA about birds following them down there, not exactly when that first
happened or how many years they were seen down with the Aleutians there-
would be fun to know though?

I bet there is more info out there, just not sure how much some folks want
to discuss Gyrs on-line.

Merry migration!
Tim R
Coos Bay
[obol] More Gyr Info

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