----- Forwarded Message ----
From: pete gustas <pgus...@yahoo.com>
To: Angus Wilson <oceanwander...@gmail.com>
Sent: Wed, October 28, 2009 9:29:04 PM
Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Gyrfalcon at Jones beach
Angus
I think the problem stems from people who are not familiar with a bird having
trouble making the commitment to an ID even when they are sure of what they
saw,wich should not detract from the photo ID.These photos are better than most
of the ones used in field guides that people probably refered to when trying to
ID this bird. The photos of this bird show that without a doubt 100% this bird
is a juv. gray morph Gyrfalcon. CASE CLOSED. I would take these photos over any
ones personal ID. These photos are not fuzzy or distant they show every plumage
detail that is necessary for an ID,WITH PHOTOS LIKE THESE you do not need the
actual observers observations.
Pete Gustas
168 Schofield St.
City Island,NY 10464
pgus...@yahoo.com
________________________________
From: Angus Wilson <oceanwander...@gmail.com>
To: nysbirds-l@cornell.edu
Sent: Wed, October 28, 2009 8:17:56 PM
Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Gyrfalcon at Jones beach
A number of people have chimed in with enthusiastic endorsements of the ID as a
Gyr (and they may well be right) but I am still puzzled by the fact that many
of the actual observers at the weekend were willing to accept it as a large
(tundrius) Peregrine, albeit with some hesitancy. Otherwise, why weren't there
any headline postings from that day?
Is it because the overall jizz did not quite fit with people's
expectations/experience? This worries me. To be fair, a bird can sometimes be
too close or in an unfamiliar context and this confounds an otherwise
straightforward ID. A good example of this is when one is confronted with a
dead bird. Sometimes familiar species can be baffling at first, especially for
people not used to looking at specimens. Coming back to the bird in question,
is it a case that the bird was initially called a Peregrine and nobody felt
entirely comfortable in challenging that initial ID without further study?
Having a pile of photos is great - the flight shots are really spectacular -
but it is important not to ignore the impressions of people who saw the bird in
life.
I'm still hoping to see photos of the landed bird (ideally in a tree with the
body held in a typical upright fashion) so that we can better evaluate the wing
to tail proportions. I have seen a few shots of the bird on the ground standing
over the Herring Gull carcass but as I recall, the tail tip was obscured. Maybe
there are more suitable images out there?
Anyway, lets not close the case files right awat. I personally don't think it
is a simple slam dunk and working through the ID carefully will undoubtedly be
a valuable learning opportunity for all of us.
Angus Wilson
New York City & The Springs, NY, USA
http://birdingtotheend.blogspot.com/
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