Migration: Raptors / Fall

[The Peregrine Chick]

Here are some amazing numbers - Panama, Oct 27

Turkey Vulture            548,740
Swainson's Hawk         248,371
American Kestrel                  0
Merlin                                1
Peregrine Falcon                  3
Unknown Buteo            67,233 - couldn't identify what type of Buteo spp of hawks
Unknown Falcon                  1
Unknown Eagle                    0  
Unknown Raptor           24,700 - couldn't identify what type of raptor species

Notes from the Observation Team
Observation times: 08:00:00 to 17:00:00  (total = 8.75 hours)
Official Counter:  Ariel Aguirre
Observers:  Daniel Hinckley, Laura Reyes, Venicio Wilson
Visitors:  Rosabel Miró, Karl Kaufmann, Itzel Fong, Yenifer Díaz, Javier Lasso, Alfredo de Albatros Media.
Weather: NW winds all morning. No rain.
Raptor Observations:  Apocalypse. Wow!
Non-raptor Observations:  15 Wood Storks.

[The Peregrine Chick]

That's so interesting, Cooper!  TPC, is it possible that a Gryofalcon could make its way this far south?!?

Gyrfalcons overwinter in South Dakota, so yup, they will be migrating though I believe its a bit later, so long as they have food and fair weather they will stay where they are before heading south even though South Dakota isn't like South America!

[photosbydennis]

Yep...they have been seen this far South. I searched for one a few years back down Hwy # 59 with no luck.

[susha]

That's so interesting, Cooper!  TPC, is it possible that a Gryofalcon could make its way this far south?!?

[Cooper]

Ooh, I would like to see the photo too!

I can't remember whether I reported this last year but I had a visitor to my backyard last year. He landed on a dead tree not twenty feet from me. He looked all the world like an albino peregrine to me but much larger. We stared at each other for the longest while (me wishing I had a camera). He spoke to me in just a one syllable squawk as if to say "what?". I did inch my way to the house in search of my camera and he seemed content to wait. Of course by the time I got back he was gone. Thereafter I poured through "The Birds of Canada (Godfrey, Crosy) and surfed the internet and came to the conclusion that, although I thought he could be a gyrfalcon, he was just too far south and therefore he must be a prairie falcon. His hunkered stance was very much like one of the illustrations in The Birds of Canada and this photo I found on the net: http://sdakotabirds.com/species_photos/prairie_falcon_1.htm My only concern was the bird I saw was much, much paler in colouration.   

[The Peregrine Chick]

That's very interesting, a gyrfalcon x peregrine hybrid.  I hope it's not too hard to find, I'd love to see the picture.

I've seen the photo, just can't remember if someone showed me or if they sent it (exhausted grey cells).  Will find it though ...

[RCF]

RCF,

I'm hunting up a photo of a bird that was found in southern Manitoba a little while ago that was causing us some identification problems - it was somewhere between a peregrine and a prairie we thought but wasn't really either.  Turned out to be a lost falconry bird - a juvenile gyrfalcon x peregrine hybrid.  There were in fact two birds, brothers, lost at the same time so let me know if the photo (when I find it) looks a bit like the bird you saw, who knows, just might be our lost "boy".

That's very interesting, a gyrfalcon x peregrine hybrid.  I hope it's not too hard to find, I'd love to see the picture.

[The Peregrine Chick]

RCF,

I'm hunting up a photo of a bird that was found in southern Manitoba a little while ago that was causing us some identification problems - it was somewhere between a peregrine and a prairie we thought but wasn't really either.  Turned out to be a lost falconry bird - a juvenile gyrfalcon x peregrine hybrid.  There were in fact two birds, brothers, lost at the same time so let me know if the photo (when I find it) looks a bit like the bird you saw, who knows, just might be our lost "boy".

[susha]

I was in Fargo 11 days ago and while waiting for the marathon to start (at the Civic Centre) I looked to see a PF straight above. It eventually landed on the Civic Centre. It could have been anybirdy of course but I liked to imagine it was someone from Manitoba.
I had a good run and it was a beautiful day. It's a nice event for anyone who likes a fall race.

I'm sure it was a Manitoba bird, bcf, and it was probaly thinking that you were going south with him/her!  *wink*

[eagle63_1999]

RCF good for you on seeing the Prairie Falcon, I wasn't sure they came that far east!

[birdcamfan]

I was in Fargo 11 days ago and while waiting for the marathon to start (at the Civic Centre) I looked to see a PF straight above. It eventually landed on the Civic Centre. It could have been anybirdy of course but I liked to imagine it was someone from Manitoba.
I had a good run and it was a beautiful day. It's a nice event for anyone who likes a fall race.

[Kinderchick]

Interesting, rcf. They do look much like peregrines.

[RCF]

On Oct 9th I saw a raptor that I never saw before and it looked very much like a peregrine falcon but very much paler overall.  It had paler malar stripes, white underneath and white breast with dark vertical markings and very dark under the wings or armpits if you will when it opened up it's wings and flew away.  It was on a hydro pole and when I stopped to look it didn't fly away immediately like Red-Tailed hawks do, so I had a good look.  I did a little research and I may have seen a Prairie Falcon.     It's amazing how much it looked like a peregrine.     I didn't have my camera with me, but even if I did it would have flown too far away to get a good picture before I got the camera out.


I did not take this picture but here is a link to more pictures of Prairie Falcons http://www.google.ca/search?q=prairie+falcon+pictures&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=HTz&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=OgyeTtebFYfYqgG1qYSLDw&ved=0CCUQsAQ

 

[The Peregrine Chick]

Okay, I think this is the highest number of peregrines counted on migration so far this fall ...

Guana Reserve
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 08, 2011
361 peregrines counted in a 7 hour period

[susha]

Sounds like a interesting book, susha. You can place posts about books in the "Bird Books Worth Reading" thread, if you want to. Who knew crows could be so intriguing?

Guess I didn't look very hard for the proper thread .  Thanks for the info KC!