Gyrfalcon

[joe.ki...@gmail.com]

I was unable to find the Gyrfalcon today at 2:00pm at the landfill.

As far as I know no one else has seen it today either, but I have yet to check Horsetooth Res. as Nick K. suggested.

Good luck to everyone else who searches for it.

[Andrew Bankert]

Let me start off by saying that the Gyrfalcon was not refound anywhere this morning that I am aware of with people looking along Trilby Road and at the landfill.  

After thinking about it, I do not regret the 15 hour delay between identifying and posting the Gyrfalcon to CObirds.  I try to get the word about rarities out as quickly as possible, but this Gyrfalcon was a special case with both being a charismatic species drawing attention from a wider number of people than your average rarity and being found in a restricted area where we could easily lose access if there were any incidents involving birders not following protocols at the landfill.  As birders, I understand how exciting it is to chase a rare bird and add a new tick to a list, but I do wonder whether during our pursuits we forget about considering the impacts we might have on the birds we chase and the areas we visit.  

Considering these impacts, including consulting with other birders, is what happened during that 15 hour delay.  Just last week while watching the Grandview Cemetery Eastern Screech-Owl from a safe distance across the canal, a group of us witnessed two, probably well intentioned, birders walk right up to the tree the owl was roosting in while searching for it without seeing it.  Cases like this seem to occur somewhat regularly with charismatic species that draw attention from more than just listers. There has previously been suboptimal behavior and breaking of protocol from chasers at rarities even within the same CBC Circle as the Gyrfalcon (American Woodcock and Streak-backed Oriole come to mind). Normally, I would trust in the birding community's ability to help educate this small number of people, but the situation at the landfill is different with large equipment with the potential to cause serious injury to someone not following the landfill protocol.  Such an event would surely ruin access to one of my favorite birding spots in Larimer County, which we luckily have the privilege to bird at unlike some other landfills in the state.  One of the gatekeepers at the landfill today did say that there were some problems with birders not following protocols yesterday, which verified my concerns about posting this sighting.  Finally, the Gyrfalcon did not show up on any eBird alerts because they have been deemed to be a sensitive species, and I thought this was worth considering before plastering this sighting for everyone to know about.  It seems that in other states birders and falconers have run into problems over Gyrfalcons, and it was not until Tuesday morning that I was confident that it is illegal to trap a wild Gyrfalcon in Colorado.   

I still think we, as a birding community, should be excited when rare birds show up and try to share them with everyone when appropriate, but I think we do need to consider the impacts of both reporting rarities and chasing birds.  If you find a Red-faced Warbler at a city park there probably won't be too much need for hesitation, but if you find a Snowy Owl that is best viewed from an active construction site you might want to consider the impacts of informing more than just a small group of people you know well.  I also hope we can appreciate birders who do consider the impacts their hobby has on the birds they see, the places they visit, and the environment as a whole.  Finally, I do encourage anyone interested to visit a landfill that allows access to look at gulls because you are often rewarded with a good study of difficult-to-identify birds, just make sure you always follow their rules and are constantly vigilant of your surroundings. 

Andy Bankert

Fort Collins 

[Allison Hilf]

I totally understand the sensitivity of a Gyrfalcon sighting, and consider it like an owl.  I agree with Andy and others that it should not be publicly shared.  I wish it would never have been reported and this discussion never happened.

My comment was meant to be about the more general issue where most of the more experienced  CObirders no longer report  any rare bird sightings to CObirds or to the RBA.  

I was ready to commit a considerable amount of time and effort into helping Joe and others keep the RBA going after Joyce retires at the end of the year.  I’m now having serious doubts, as so few experienced Birders take the time to report ANY rare findings to CObirds.

I don’t list and no longer chase anything but a lifer (Gyrfalcon is NOT a lifer; I had no interest in chasing the bird).   I help beginning Birders and spend my time analyzing bird behaviors - we all bird differently.

I apologize if I came across critical of competitive listers; we can all agree to enjoy birding differently.  But do listers want to share sightings?  If so, is COBirds the place to do it, and are people willing to report sightings to CObirds?  Otherwise, why should we spend considerable time and effort on compiling an RBA???

Please respond; as I need to know if anyone sincerely wants the RBA to continue.

Thank you,

Allison Hilf

Aurora, CO

 

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[Diana Beatty]

I do think it is worth asking who uses the COBIRDS RBA report and getting some data before deciding to continue the extensive effort or not, unless someone just realyl enjoys doing it.  Is there anyone out there who uses it fairly regularly?  What tools are people using to learn of 'rare' birds?

Personally, I have not used it much if at all.  I have sometimes learned of great birds in general COBIRDS posts but the RBA is a tool I haven't really used much. I did use it a few times to try to find out if a bird had been reported recently several days after the initial report when I didn't see something in eBird, since I know not everyone uses eBird.  I get rare bird alerts for certain counties from eBird and they are more specific and timely than the RBA for me personally, but I do rarely chase so my experience may be atypical.  I also learn of some birds on the CFO Facebook page.  I do wonder if there is some concern at least along the Front Range about loving rare birds to death - i.e. publicizing a sighting very openly possibly being harmful to the bird in question or to the reputation of birders, etc.,, in part because there may simply be too many people interested in seeing it, some of whom may be more 'rambunctious' in their quests than others.  I do not know that the RBA would be considered a contributor to those concerns, if people have them, though.  I appreciate the willingness of people to share and compile exciting sightings even if I do not go to see them because I do enjoy hearing about what of note is going on re: birds in Colorado.

Diana Beatty

El Paso County

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All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost.

[Maureen Blackford]

I would hate to see the compiled list on Cobirds be discontinued.   I’m not a chaser, although I have gone to see some areas/birds reported.  However, I find it of great interest to see what birds are moving through the state.

And to experience birding virtually, through other people’s sightings; I believe it enriches my enjoyment. 

Maureen Blackford

Boulder County

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[Patrick O'Driscoll]

I agree with Maureen B. on both counts, and I'll bet a lot of us on CObirds do, too: Occasionally venturing out to try to see birds on the list, but also having great interest what's out there, season to season, whether I can get out to see it or not.

Patrick O'Driscoll

Denver County

[Pam Dowd]

Thank you, Andy, for your polite and thoughtful e-mail.

2018 is my 50th anniversary year of birding.  As you can well imagine during those years I’ve seen “birding” evolve from a handful of folks with Peterson Guides and a “phone tree” to share sightings to what seems to be a flood of people, websites, e-lists, twitter notices and field guides that break down species into sub-species and sub-sub-species.

It’s like everything in our society today, change can be both positive and negative.  I hope Andy’s comments will remind all of us to consider first the welfare of the birds we so adore and second share our values with those who come to see these creatures as we do with civility.

To this day I remember my first “bird walk” at Lake Ontelaunee in Pennsylvania with a “gentle man” who took me under his wing and fostered a love of birds and wildlife that became a core element of my life.

Helping others understand the protocol makes better birding for all of us.

Pamela Dowd

Parker, Douglas County, CO

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[Kathy and Jeff Dunning]

All - We just had the Gyr from Trilby Road just west of Taft.

Kathy Mihm Dunning

Denver

[Peter Burke]

COBirders,

I wanted a flight shot of the Gyr for Christmas and this morning, David Ely and I, along with several others were fortunate to get good looks, and then watch as the bird pursued a Rock Pigeon, showing off some amazing high-speed aerobatics. (Both in fact, as I think the Pigeon survived multiple attacks.)

Anyway, I got my Xmas gift, you can see here.

Happy holidays everyone!

Peter

Boulder, CO

Peter Burke

5590 Spine Rd. #204 Boulder, CO 80301

(973) 214-0140

Flickr  LinkedIn

[Deborah Carstensen]

The falcon was seen by Ed Secor and me at about 330 from the gate of the Ft Collins landfill eating prey. We had seen it flying around intermittently but then saw him come down to the landfill and eat his prey with magpies and ravens in attendance.
The gate to the landfill is on Taft Hill Road just north of Trilby.

Deb Carstensen, unincorporated Arapahoe county – Littleton

Sent from my iPhone

[joe.ki...@gmail.com]

Do you know what type of prey it caught?

Joe Kipper

Fort Collins

[Deborah Carstensen]

We didn’t see him catch is prey and couldn’t tell what he was eating through the scope . We did see pigeons fly up on occasion so it could’ve been one of them but I was also wondering if he would go for one of the many magpies that were there.  

Who knew that staring through the scope at the landfill be such a nice way to spend Christmas Eve?

Deb Carstensen

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