Nature Two winter rarities: Gyrfalcon and rough-legged hawk.

Two winter rarities: Gyrfalcon and rough-legged hawk. · **2 Likes**

A couple of "rarities" observed today:

A Gyrfalcon: quite rare even this time of the year.
A Rough-legged Hawk: should be gone south by now !!
And "Smiley" the Snowie ... added after my first post -- see below.

It was a not-so-good-light day ... had to PP quite a bit and crop.
Nonetheless, here they are:

**Checking...jono** · 12-09-2014, 07:54 PM

Nice! Lucky you to get to see a gyr. I am near Thunder Bay (but across the border) so I see rough-legged regularly, but falcon sightings are rare. Unless you know where to look.

Venom3300 · 12-09-2014, 07:56 PM

These are well done. congrats. Nice looking bird.

**Jacquot** · 12-09-2014, 08:01 PM

Gyr! Great photographs of it, however you manged it! Also the Roughy. Winter is here...

**jpzk** · 12-09-2014, 08:01 PM

Originally posted by Checking...jono

Nice! Lucky you to get to see a gyr. I am near Thunder Bay (but across the border) so I see rough-legged regularly, but falcon sightings are rare. Unless you know where to look.

Lucky alright, Jono.

They have been observed once in a rare while but I had yet to see "proof" that they actually came here during the winter.
I am quite sure where it will "reside" for the eason but, they cover one heck of a range though! Hard to tell.

As for the rough-legged hawk, they should be all gone by now from our region but there is a winter storm in the making here right now, so I guess it decided to find shelter and ride it out until better weather.

---------- Post added 12-09-14 at 10:02 PM ----------

Originally posted by Venom3300

These are well done. congrats. Nice looking bird.

Thanks' Venom !

---------- Post added 12-09-14 at 10:04 PM ----------

Originally posted by Jacquot

Gyr! Great photographs of it, however you manged it! Also the Roughy. Winter is here...

Got very lucky for the gyrfalcon: coming back (after having seen the hawk) and decided to take a dirt road "just in case" .... and there it was perched high on a post.
I got out of the car, slowly walked toward it ... took shots ... repeated the process a few times ... until it flew off !

Thanks for the comment.

---------- Post added 12-09-14 at 10:07 PM ----------

And I also got "Smiley" the Snowie again: (all in the same day !! )

**Checking...jono** · 12-10-2014, 07:21 AM

Originally posted by jpzk

And I also got "Smiley" the Snowie again: (all in the same day !! )

She's a beautiful bird and what an interesting perspective!

**jpzk** · 12-10-2014, 08:49 AM

Originally posted by Checking...jono

She's a beautiful bird and what an interesting perspective!

Thank you for the comment.

Yes, well ... she was up there perched on that tall electrical post on the pier.
She was, last week, on another post and lower down. I am hoping to see her again when she's on a tree or a fence.

Cheers!

ukwoody · 12-10-2014, 10:28 AM

Love the first one. Whether deliberate or not, the simplicity of it is very striking with such a plain background. Smiley is gorgeous too ( or is that Twoo,lol)
woody

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12-09-2014, 07:54 PM	#2
Checking...jono Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Northeastern Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 717	Nice! Lucky you to get to see a gyr. I am near Thunder Bay (but across the border) so I see rough-legged regularly, but falcon sightings are rare. Unless you know where to look.

12-09-2014, 07:56 PM	#3
Venom3300 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 714	These are well done. congrats. Nice looking bird.

12-09-2014, 08:01 PM	#4
Jacquot Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sun City Center, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,544	Gyr! Great photographs of it, however you manged it! Also the Roughy. Winter is here...

12-09-2014, 08:01 PM	#5
jpzk Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Québec Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,251 Original Poster	Originally posted by Checking...jono Nice! Lucky you to get to see a gyr. I am near Thunder Bay (but across the border) so I see rough-legged regularly, but falcon sightings are rare. Unless you know where to look. Lucky alright, Jono. They have been observed once in a rare while but I had yet to see "proof" that they actually came here during the winter. I am quite sure where it will "reside" for the eason but, they cover one heck of a range though! Hard to tell. As for the rough-legged hawk, they should be all gone by now from our region but there is a winter storm in the making here right now, so I guess it decided to find shelter and ride it out until better weather. ---------- Post added 12-09-14 at 10:02 PM ---------- Originally posted by Venom3300 These are well done. congrats. Nice looking bird. Thanks' Venom ! ---------- Post added 12-09-14 at 10:04 PM ---------- Originally posted by Jacquot Gyr! Great photographs of it, however you manged it! Also the Roughy. Winter is here... Got very lucky for the gyrfalcon: coming back (after having seen the hawk) and decided to take a dirt road "just in case" .... and there it was perched high on a post. I got out of the car, slowly walked toward it ... took shots ... repeated the process a few times ... until it flew off ! Thanks for the comment. ---------- Post added 12-09-14 at 10:07 PM ---------- And I also got "Smiley" the Snowie again: (all in the same day !! )

12-10-2014, 07:21 AM	#6
Checking...jono Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Northeastern Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 717	Originally posted by jpzk And I also got "Smiley" the Snowie again: (all in the same day !! ) She's a beautiful bird and what an interesting perspective!

12-10-2014, 08:49 AM	#7
jpzk Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Québec Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,251 Original Poster	Originally posted by Checking...jono She's a beautiful bird and what an interesting perspective! Thank you for the comment. Yes, well ... she was up there perched on that tall electrical post on the pier. She was, last week, on another post and lower down. I am hoping to see her again when she's on a tree or a fence. Cheers!

12-10-2014, 10:28 AM	#8
ukwoody Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pembrokeshire, Wales,UK Posts: 152	Love the first one. Whether deliberate or not, the simplicity of it is very striking with such a plain background. Smiley is gorgeous too ( or is that Twoo,lol) woody