I’ve said it many times, I’m a bird photographer not a traditional birder. I don’t keep lists of any kind. I keep a pair of binoculars in my pickup but seldom use them (I use my telephoto lens for scoping birds). I don’t own a spotting scope. I’m not a twitcher (one who travels long distances to tick a new species off their list). Bird ID skills are significantly less important to me than photography skills. I much prefer to get a great image of a common species than to simply see a rare or unusual bird. I’m much more interested in bird behaviors than I am in how many species I’ve seen or a sighting of a rare or unusual bird. I rarely use a field guide in the field though they get plenty of use at home while I’m reviewing images.
I admire the dedication and skill sets of many birders but that’s just not my focus.
But an incident earlier this year gave me a taste of the excitement birders must feel when they observe a rare species and have that sighting accepted by the birding community (I reported this event on my blog when it happened but there’s been a new development…).
On February 11 of this year I was driving west on the Antelope Island causeway when a large raptor flew up low and behind me on the right side of my pickup. My first glimpse of the bird was a fleeting one through the upper right hand corner of my windshield. I suspected it was a falcon but it appeared to be too large for a Peregrine or Prairie so I was at a loss. Mia (who was riding in the back seat and is better at ID than I am) couldn’t see it at first but when she eventually did she wondered out loud if it could possibly be a Gyrfalcon but by then it was too far ahead for anything near a positive ID.
Then the bird veered to the south, crossed the road and flew out to the mudflats (which it’s doing here)…
and landed almost a quarter-mile away (all three of these images were taken at an effective 1120mm with a 500 mm lens, attached 1.4 teleconverter and cropped sensor camera and are huge crops – about 13% of the original image).
We still didn’t know what species this bird was. We both knew the Gyrfalcon possibility was an extremely long shot and we wanted a better look at the bird so I drove toward the island and then came back, hoping the bird might come in closer to hunt with my pickup gone.
When I returned the bird was still out there on the mud but soon it took off heading northwest, crossed the causeway far in front of me to the west and disappeared in the direction of Fremont Island.
Closer inspection of our images eventually revealed the bird to be a juvenile gray morph Gyrfalcon. Once the ID was confirmed Mia reported the sighting to UBird (something I typically can’t do because I’m driving). Later I reported the sighting to the Utah Bird Record Committee but didn’t hear back if the sighting was accepted or not so I largely forgot about it.
Then three days ago I received an email from Craig Fosdick, secretary of the Utah Birds Record Committee, saying that my sighting had been reviewed and unanimously accepted by the committee. Craig stated that “this is only the seventh Gyrfalcon record for Utah and the first in 13 years“.
To be perfectly honest I was quite surprised by the thrill I felt to have seen this bird in the first place and then to have the sighting accepted by the committee. And I’ve never been so happy to have such poor-quality images of a bird.
Perhaps there’s some birder in me after all…
Cool story, Ron! Gyrs are quite amazing birds… Our favorite story (Dan Gleason is my spouse) involves a Gyr reported north of Eugene near a wildlife refuge. So, we drove up on a weekend day to see if we could find it. Stopped at a convenient pull out to look through binocs (Dan had camera, though, handy) to see what the lump in a snag was. Sure looked Gyr-like, but we watched and waited. Soon, the bird must have spied a pheasant far off to the north (we were facing east) and it flew off in that direction. But the pheasant headed toward us! Soon, we had the adrenaline-laced experience of watching the pheasant, followed by the Gyr speeding toward us… filling the binoc frames rapidly and when we ducked, the pheasant bolted into the cover of nearby blackberry bushes and the Gyr veered off to land way off in its sang-perch tree! We were so impressed by the incredible power of the Gyr’s flight and its powerful glide, too. The poor pheasant might have had a heart attack; it barely got away!
Fantastic experience, Ron! It doesn’t matter if you’re a birder or a photographer or a biologist or a teacher or a blogger – it was something special and nothing can substitute for that feeling of excitement!
I get that feeling every time I spot something new, whether it’s a new bird, flower, insect, landscape, cloud formation – and I want to take photographs of it all. Not sure what label to wear, so I’ll just continue to resist them all. (Although, I can visualize a really cool cap with “Birdist” on it …….)
I’m with you, Wally, on getting excited over every new thing I see – be it bird, flower, insect, animal (including lizards and snakes). This morning it was a white-tailed deer that looked like a pinto pony (or what looked to me like the deer version of vitiligo)… And there’s still most of the day to go. 🙂
Absolutely cool!!! I went shooting a few years ago with a true “birder” and I was just astonished that she only had binoculars … no camera!!! I mean … what’s the point??? But your description of your event helped me understand.
” I mean … what’s the point???”
Thanks, Lois – I needed the laugh and as a photographer (like you) I fully understand. But then I suspect that some traditional birders think we’re a little nuts too. And that’s ok, because we probably are…
Labels, shmabels.
I suspect that I am an obsessionista. Birds are a part of that. Fashion is not.
How wonderful to see a free Gyrfalcon, rather than an escapee. I hope he/she finds company.
“I hope he/she finds company”
EC, this bird would have returned to its typical range in Alaska and northern Canada by now and hopefully found a mate. Likely they’re nesting by now. At least I hope so…
We need a new term – we obviously are all fascinated by birds, whether we simply watch, list, photograph. landscape our yard to attract them, rescue and rehabilitate them, or race all over the world trying to rack up our life list – we’re all bird afficionados. How about something like ‘birdists’? ‘Birdophile’ is a bit too much. ‘Avianacs’ (avian maniacs)? Ideas?
Louise, of those on your list “birdist” appeals to me most, though each has its charm.
I agree, Ron. Birdist!
Ron, thanks. Your excitement rubbed on me. Mia did help.
Yes, she did, Diana. She always does. Thank you.
I think it’s a GREAT image!!! Because it’s a Gyr Falcon and, very importantly to me, I see NO JESSES!!!!!!!!!! Or BANDING!!!!!!! A bird au natural…how wonderful on all counts!!!!! Congratulations!!!
Patty, Jesses or any other sign of captivity were the first things I looked for when I reviewed the images at home. So glad they weren’t there…
I remember the posting of your encounter back in February and a posting on Utah Birder citing you and Mia getting images in hopes it would be verified for other birders that were able to see the GYR, but not get images. I think they were as excited to see you two there imaging as seeing the falcon solo. It was about the time I discovered the Long-eared owls on our property and I could relate to your feelings of joy in your sighting. Having it verified by Hawkwatch was just as rewarding. My daily forays to visit them still brings the thrill of the hunt I experienced afield with my father and brothers as a youth in the Midwest, although my shooting method has long since changed and my quarry greatly expanded.
I’m sure the Owls see me long before I see them most of the time, but I get excited when I do spot them and even more so if they aren’t mired deep in the branches and I can get an image. Simple pleasures for sure. Seeing two of the adults briefly this morning as they departed the young for deeper cover was the “cherry on top” today.
PS. The DIGISKI plate has been retired, but makes for great garage art.
I can only imagine how much fun you’re having with those owls, Neil. I’m very happy for you.
I probably won’t retire my HARRIER plate until I retire from photography. If then…
How very exciting, Ron!! I was getting more & more excited just reading your experience. I think we all have a little of that feeling inside of us . I can remember my 1st trip to Florida, laying on the beach in Daytona & having this beautiful group of birds in a V shape formation fly over our heads & wondering what kind of birds they were (me being a girl from Michigan). I can still remember how dumb I felt when I learned they were pelicans!! I’d only seen pictures in books when they were sitting. Never realized how beautiful they were in flight & there is nothing like seeing any animal in their natural environment!! You have given me another day of joy, Ron & am looking forward to what you will share with us tomorrow!! Happy Memorial Day Weekend to you!!
Jo Ann, pelicans are some of the most beautiful and graceful birds in flight so I can understand why that memory has stuck with you for so long. And Happy Memorial Day Weekend to you too!
Kris Kristofferson once said, “If it sounds country, it’s a country song”. From reading your post, I conclude you are a birder. 🙂
Cheers,
Dick
Your comment made me smile, Dick. The distinction between the two is certainly an imprecise one.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
Now you know how excited I was and why my license plate on my truck is: GYR 00!
It will never change as long as I’m around.
Thanks, Dick. And I’m with you on my fondness for my vanity plate – I doubt my HARRIER plate will change before my shutter finger falls off…
How exciting!!! Congrats!
Thank you, Ellen.
Being a birder isn’t all bad. But I find myself annoyed with birders who are all about ticking off new species on their list. I like seeing new species, but am much more interested in getting to know the birds. I’d rather watch them. (I rarely attempt to photograph them, but on odd occasions I get a decent image that allows me to identify/illustrate a bird.) My interest in getting to know various birds is one reason why I like your blog so much. 🙂
Susan, for me it isn’t an issue of bad or good, just somewhat different interests and passions. And they meld together so the distinction can become unclear, as in my case.
Something similar to the difference between “birdwatching” and “birding” – that discussion has been bandied about for a long time…
Congrats! Not many birders *or* photographers can claim a Gyr. What an amazing experience! And I think there’s a *lot* more birder in you than you claim to have. 🙂
“I think there’s a *lot* more birder in you than you claim to have”
Perhaps, Gretchen. That’s something I’m still trying to sort out…
That’s fabulous.
I thought so too, Arwen.
How exciting! I can’t imagine the thrill. I get excited when I see a bird I’ve never seen before even if it’s one that has been cited in our area before, if it’s new to me, I’m thrilled.
Charlotte
Thanks very much, Charlotte.