![\"gyrfalcon](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/gyrfalcon-3286-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhen we arrived the bird was perched on a pole at the edge of the golf course.\u00a0 Even with the hubbub from birders, photographers, golfers, dogs and nearby children the falcon was calm and quite approachable.<\/p>\n
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Soon after I arrived Mike Shaw with HawkWatch International placed a bal chatri trap in an attempt to capture the falcon (the bird is in extreme danger of entanglement with the falconry hardware trailing from its legs).\u00a0 The falcon was very aware of the hamsters inside the trap and flew off several times to investigate.\u00a0 This image and the\u00a0following four are sequential shots of one of the take-offs.\u00a0 By this time the light was funky and I’m disappointed with the blue cast in the images but didn’t take the time to try to correct\u00a0it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n When the falcon returned to the same pole after investigating the trap I pre-focused on the pole and was able to get three relatively\u00a0sharp shots as it landed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Incoming and …<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n touch-down.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Gyrfalcon attracted the attention of several other raptors in the area including a Cooper’s Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, American Kestrel and Merlin.\u00a0\u00a0 This was the sharpie as it buzzed the falcon.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The falcon investigated the trap several times while I was there.\u00a0 Even though this shot is far from sharp I thought I’d include it because it shows the bird passing over the trap at lower-left.\u00a0 Inside the trap are two hard-working HawkWatch International “staff members” – hamsters named Easy and Breezy.\u00a0 The hamsters are not harmed\u00a0during the trapping process and live a pampered life.<\/p>\n After I left,\u00a0Mike Shaw was finally able to\u00a0capture the\u00a0Gyrfalcon.\u00a0 It was fed and then spent last night\u00a0in a mew.<\/p>\n What a drop-dead gorgeous bird this is!\u00a0 I was in awe just to be near it.\u00a0 I also thoroughly enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new ones as birders and photographers admired this falcon.\u00a0 The entire group was congenial and very respectful of the falcon.<\/p>\n The eventual fate of this\u00a0falcon is as yet undetermined.\u00a0 It is banded so\u00a0if the birds handler (I\u00a0hesitate to say “owner”) can be located it may be returned to the falconer.\u00a0 The band is metal and seamless which indicates that the bird was captive-bred so release into the wild probably isn’t an option.\u00a0 The bird is in its first adult plumage and appears to weigh about 2000 grams.\u00a0 Its halluces and talons have been filed down and its beak needs coping.<\/p>\n I must admit that I’m disturbed by the number of escaped falconry birds I’ve seen (and photographed).\u00a0 In the last four years I’ve documented and posted about\u00a0a male and a female\u00a0American Kestrel<\/a>, a Peregrine Falcon<\/a>\u00a0and now this Gyrfalcon – all four escaped from falconers and still had falconry hardware on their legs.\u00a0 And just a few weeks ago an escaped Red-tailed Hawk was found south of here in Lehi, Utah.<\/p>\n I do find that trend\u00a0unsettling…<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n Note:\u00a0 I do hope that any comments on this post don’t degenerate into a bashing of falconers and falconry.\u00a0 I’m aware that the “sport” or practice is controversial and I have some reservations about it\u00a0myself but I\u00a0also have much admiration for many falconers because of their absolute love for\u00a0and devotion\u00a0to their birds, their incredible knowledge that they share with all of\u00a0us and the good work many of them do with raptor education.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Thursday afternoon a possible Snowy Owl was reported at Mick Riley Golf Course in Murray, Utah. In the end it turned out to be a spectacular white Gyrfalcon.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n