[birding] Re: Looking for Gyr

[willwright26 at q.com]

Hello All,

     I thought I'd run down the valley to see if Randy's Gyr may have crossed to the Benton side.  Not many raptors on 99 South of Corvallis, a few Red-tails and Kestrels.  But the Prairie Overlook at N. Finley was productive.  Some people with binos were leaving and I asked what was out there.  They said they didn't see anything.  You really need a scope at that spot.  I had 2 Red-tails, 2 Red-shouldered Hawks, 3 Black-shouldered Kites, I Harrier, and 1 Rough-legged Hawk.  With the Kestrels along Finley Rd., 6 species of raptors.  And 11 swans flew over. 
     Bruce Rd. had shorebirds as well as geese.  Again, just across the RR tracks the field to the north was thawing out and had LOTS of Killdeer.  Also a flock of Dunlin (about 30).  The ice on McFadden has concentrated almost everything at the north end; walk to the blind for viewing.
     At the Philo-poo ponds, the ducks in pond #1 were concentrated in the middle, small unfrozen area (outflow pipe).  Mostly Mallards and Shovelers, some Widgeon, GW Teal, Ruddy Ducks, a few Scaup and Ring-necks.  A Bald Eagle flew over and circled to see if anything was dead (the flock flushed, circled, and resettled) and then landed in the tree on the west side.
     Couple of turkeys in the yard above the OSU president's house.  No Gyrfalcons.

---Good Birding to you,    Will
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