"Say that again, slowly..."

We hooked up with John and visited Five Rivers EEC in Delmar this morning, with the goal of trying to detect the return of Louisiana Waterthrush along the Vlomankill (trail map). It was quite cold, and the temperature had dropped below freezing overnight, which solidified the mud (good!) but put a thin coating of ice in previously melted areas (bad!) like shallow ponds. We walked the Vlomankill Trail from Fordham's Crossing, without any sign of anything and lowering expectations the farther we walked. We got to Station 12, a marked location along the stream that has seemed to be a favorite for the species for many years, but no singing waterthrush, and not much else, either. As we started to plot our Plan B, all three of us caught a glimpse of a bird as it silently flew up from the rocky bank beneath us into the low branches of a hemlock. Could it be...KA-CHING...a tail-bobbin', stripey, white-eyebrowed Loosianer Waterthrush, by gosh! We had brief views before it shot downstream from us. Mission accomplished.

Plan B was to head up to Lock 7 on the Mohawk River to try to resight the Red-throated Loons from the previous day, other birders had found a group of five after we left on Saturday. As we headed north in separate vehicles, my cellphone rang. It was John in the car behind me (on his hands-free device, of course), and he spoke the following phrase, or something close to it: "There's a white Gyrfalcon being seen right now at Ft. Edward." You know how there are some things you're sure that you will never hear in your lifetime, such as "Yes Mr. Williams, that is THE lone winning Powerball Lottery ticket that you purchased", or "I think that outfit makes your ass look huge"? John's message was on the short list.

We hurtled through the space-time continuum at ludicrous (but safe) speed, John arriving at the falcon location a few minutes before us. As Colleen and I pulled up to a small group of assembled birders, we heard the three words dreaded by all who find themselves in that situation. "It just flew." F@#$%&.

All was not lost, however, as the bird has only gone to the ground temporarily. We got to see it moments later in flight, and watched it for about three minutes until it truly did fly out of sight. Photos were obtained, leaving no doubt as to the bird's identity, all that remains now is its provenance, i.e. wild bird or possible escaped falconry bird, etc. No sign of the leather straps, or jesses, that might be seen on an escaped bird, so I think we have a natural-born killer on our hands. This species is reportable as a rarity to the New York State Avian Records Committee (NYSARC), so we will all get our paperwork and photos underway.

Plan B again, on the way home we stopped for the Red-throated Loons. All five were there as we pulled up, but just after we put scopes on them, some hikers appeared out on the breakwater near the birds and put them up in the air and well out of sight.

Today was a series of very close calls, birding-on-the-edge. We like it like that. I would have been happy with the waterthrush and some pancakes afterwards...

 Light-gray Gyrfalcon, Ft. Edward, NY

(image courtesy of John Kent)

TW