Indiana Gyrfalcon (1 Viewer)

For the second time in about 2 weeks, a Gyrfalcon has been spotted in Indiana.

The first time was about 2 weeks ago, and it was seen and photographed by several birders, thus becoming the first verified sighting on the bird in Indiana. Photos have been posted both on the Surfbirds.com North American rarities page, and on the Indiana Audubon Society website (indianaaudubon.org). The photographer is Jeff McCoy.

McCoy has spotted the bird (same one?) again today (4-5-03), about noon Central Standard Time, in the same location, which is Kankakee FWA in NW Indiana.

It's just past 3pm here in Fort Wayne, and I'm fighting the urge to take off and go looking for it. The rub is that Kankakee is a shade over 100 miles WNW of here, and our very cold and cloudy daylight would be starting to fail by the time I got there. That, plus I'm not fond of driving at night.

Tomorrow is a (small) possibility. I have to be up very, very early to pick up this weekend's guest artists at 4:30 to deliver them to the airport for a 6 a.m. flight. I'm supposed to be going on an afternoon field trip for loons and waterbirds....but a Gyr???

Not to mention all the work I must get done this weekend!! What to do? What to do?

B

Beverly, if you head this way Sunday morning watch the weather forecast. We're expecting 2-4" of snow tomorrow night. If you're early enough you should miss the bad weather.

Have a safe trip!

Janie, the forecast has gotten even worse! I'm not going anywhere!!

Back home again after the airport run...and have found a second posting with a SECOND GYRFALCON!!

This second bird was seen at a place called Bogus Island, which is part of the Nature Conservancy property known as Kankakee Sands in Newton County in western Indiana. It is just south of the headquarters area for Kankakee Sands, along US 41.