[Ontbirds]Ottawa - yet another Gyrfalcon

[Christina Lewis]

Hello Ontbirds people,

Received a message this afternoon on the OFNC Bird Status Line from Mike Runtz re: a JUVENILE DARK MORPH GYRFALCON, seen today (March 12) @ 4:30 pm by Mike and his ornithology class at the Trail Rd. Landfill (Trail Rd. at Moodie Dr.).  The bird went after the gulls & crows at the landfill, then perched on the snow during which time Mike states that it was well-studied through scopes for ~ 5 minutes.  

The previously reported DARK morph Gyr (25 February and 01 March) at the Ottawa River and Rideau Canal was definitely an ADULT (photo by Richard Waters).  Then a GREY morph bird was seen by Dave Moore on 03 March, also along the Ottawa River. Another (perhaps the same?) light -coloured bird (originally reported by Don Wigle on 07 March as a "white morph" Gyr but in subsequent communication with Don, he thought it "could have been a grey morph") was seen in the Kanata /Dunrobin area........and now we're back to the DARK morph, but a JUVENILE this time!

So....the $64,000 questions in Ottawa are:

How many Gyrfalcons are actually around the city?
....and....
Will we beat our previous (1971) winter snowfall record? (only about 30 cm to go!)

Thanks to Mike Runtz for calling this in. 

DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAIL RD. LANDFILL:  From downtown Ottawa, take Hwy 417 west to the Hwy 416 exit, go south on the 416 to exit 66 (Fallowfield Rd.) Right (west) on Fallowfield to Moodie Dr.  Turn left (south) on Moodie and look for the sign to the landfill, just before the intersection with Cambrian Rd. (which becomes Trail Rd. on the east side).  There is no public access to the landfill; however the snowbanks are high enough for a high-altitude raptor to sit on & have a good look around!

Good birding
Chris Lewis
Ottawa, ON
hagenius at primus.ca