[TN-Bird] FW: Subject: A story of Gyr interactions (Wisconsin)

From: <birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 18:01:19 -0600
All,

I picked the following post from Ryan Brady, off of the Wisconsin listserv, 
and found it quite worthy of
passing on. Be warned, it doesn't have anything directly to do with birding 
in TN.

Subject: A story of Gyr interactions (long)
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2005
Something exciting happens nearly every day in the field, but few events
will rival what I was fortunate to witness this Sunday afternoon.  At the
end of my daily check of the Ashland lakefront, I scanned the Chequamegon
Bay breakwall on the east side of town and spotted a distant SNOWY OWL far
out on the ice.  As I studied it, a feathered shape blazed through my scope
view.  I got on it with my binocs and quickly realized it was the local
GYRFALCON on a beeline for something but I wasn't sure what.  The Gyr
stooped...then stooped again.  A second SNOWY OWL was under attack.

After a few passes the Gyr let up and perched on some bay ice about 100
yards from the nearer Snowy and a few hundred yards from the farther owl.
Moments later the nearer Snowy took flight and the Gyr would have none of
that.  The Gyr again took direct flight at the owl and knocked it to the
ground.  With each stoop from the Gyr, the owl ducked to avoid contact or
jumped up talons first to protect itself.

Satisfied Snowy #1 wasn't going anywhere, the Gyr peeled off and made
another beeline for the more distant Snowy.  In my scope, I had both Snowy
#2 facing me and the Gyr low in flight headed for it.  As the Gyr
approached, the Snowy exhibited a typical defensive posture -- body bent
forward as it stood tall with feathers puffed out and wings spread open.
The Gyr approached but no contact was made.  On the second stoop, the owl
leaped with feet outstretched and the Gyr retreated.

You'd think that would be enough fun for one day but not so for this Gyr.
He wanted more.  When he peeled off Snowy #2, he again took low direct
flight toward something but again I didn't know what.  So I panned my scope
to the left and found the next target -- a COYOTE that had been lounging out
on the ice.  "Is this Gyr really going to take a shot at this coyote," I
thought.  Yep, he did.  And boy was he lucky.  As he stooped on the coyote,
the coyote jumped up and took a swipe at him.  Even this wasn't enough to
deter the feisty Gyr.  Another pass...and another pass.  Then the Gyr
actually perched on the ground not 20 yards from the coyote.  The coyote ran
over and the Gyr flushed but didn't move far.  The coyote then made another
pursuit and the Gyr flushed one last time.

The Gyr took flight en route for the breakwall and, after a few final passes
at Snowy #2, which was now perched on the end of the breakwall, things
settled down.  He too alighted on the rock wall and proceeded to preen and
rest for a while.  After an hour or so, the Gyr flew out to a random spot on
the ice and began feeding on what appeared to be a prey item cached in the
snow.  That's where he stood when I finally left him, a full two hours after
the saga began.

I feel very fortunate to have been afforded such a raw glimpse into the
awesome world of these amazing birds.

Ryan Brady
E-mail: ryanbrady10 AT hotmail.com
Photos: http://www.pbase.com/rbrady


Good Birding!!

Mike Todd
McKenzie, TN
birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.pbase.com/mctodd





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[TN-Bird] FW: Subject: A story of Gyr interactions (Wisconsin)

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