I’d like to share this image I was privy to while conducting some work in a Gyrfalcon nest yesterday morning. The earliest nesting Gyrfalcons have young chicks at the moment, which is good news for my study. I remember seeing these four a few weeks ago, when they were just eggs. I’ve seen eggs turn into birds many times, and will again and again, but I’ll always pause in wonder and amazement at the process. And the Gyrfalcon beat goes on…
Photo copyright Neil Paprocki
ZEISS Optics has been kind enough to offer a gesture of support by providing optics for my work here in Arctic Alaska. Without a doubt, this equipment will help ensure a successful season and minimize our time and effort during searching and monitoring nests. It helps so much to have brightness and clarity while assessing behaviors or nest status.
I’m very impressed with ZEISS, not only for their products which are truly the top of the line, but with their willingness to support my work, and in turn conservation. A company interested in helping organizations like The Peregrine Fund deserves special recognition.
Photo copyright Neil Paprocki
The optics I’ll be using this summer are the Diascope 65 T FL spotting scope set atop a carbon fiber tripod with a solid and smooth head, and the Conquest HT 8×42 binoculars. The minute your hands touch this equipment you know they are quality. Field work is very hard on optics at times, but I’m confident that my daily tasks will cause no harm to the binoculars or the scope. They are durable. They are quality.
Photo copyright Neil Paprocki
Stay tuned over the summer. I’ll be posting digi-scoped photos of Gyrfalcons and nestlings, along with other western Alaska specialties. I’ll also write some reviews towards the end of the season on how the optics handled the harsh Alaska tundra, and helped complete the work.
Thanks again to ZEISS Optics for making Gyrfalcons visible.
I’m in Alaska to start the first field season of The Peregrine Fund’s Gyrfalcon Project. I landed only three days ago, and hit the search for nests right away. At this point, the earliest nesting Gyrfalcons will have hatching eggs any day. For my research, I need to find them before they hatch.
Already I’ve located two occupied territories, with one nest well into incubation. With the help of my friend and field assistant Neil, I made my first entry into an eyrie yesterday to assess nest age, and gather other important data. While I was in the nest, Neil took advantage of the disturbance and documented two very responsible adult Gyrfalcons as they circled and watched my intrusion.
After we finished our tasks of data collection, we left the nest. When we reached a distance of approximately 500 meters from the nest cliff, we turned around and took a look at the nest. We were happy to see the female had already returned to the nest to resume incubation. While I was in the nest, I was able to see that one egg had pipped, meaning that in a couple of days there will be some newly hatched Gyrfalcons.
Stay tuned as the summer progresses. There will be numerous reports over the course of the season. Soon there will be nestlings, and I’ll be there to photograph them. You can find out more about this work on ornithologi’s Gyrfalcon Project page, and be sure to check out the Peregrine Fund’s website and consider supporting my work, and raptor conservation as a whole. Here’s to a successful summer, with loads of Gyrfalcon’s!
Click image to purchase **PRINT ONLY** *Original available
The Gyrfalcon, the Polar Bear of the bird world, is truly an iconic symbol of the frozen north.
It is undeniable, the earth is undergoing rapid change. To properly predict and prepare for the impacts this change will have on the Gyrfalcon, The Peregrine Fund has started a program to study particular aspects of Gyrfalcon biology, and form a conservation program.
I am part of The Peregrine Fund team, charged with developing a long term project to monitor Gyrfalcon populations, and conduct necessary research that will inform conservation biologists, to ensure the future of this powerful bird.
Please consider contributing to the efforts of The Peregrine Fund for a year end donation, and be part of a conservation effort aimed at ensuring the future of the Polar Bear of the birds, the Gyrfalcon. Doing so will not only help in the effort to understand and ensure the future of an arctic animal, but will inevitably help in understanding climate change and its real time implications on the earth as a whole, and in turn, on ourselves.
You can become part of this effort by visiting The Peregrine Fund website, and clicking on the DONATE NOW button on the top right of the page. The Peregrine Fund is a registered non-profit 501-C3, so all donations are tax deductible. In the comments section of the donation form, please specify that you wish your gift to contribute to the Gyrfalcon Project.
In an effort to diversify my funding sources, I have started THE GYRFALCON PROJECT, here on ORNITHOLOGI.COM. I will illustrate and paint, to capture the Gyrfalcon in its emblematic form. All illustrations will be featured on the blog and will be available as originals, along with prints. 50% of proceeds from all sales will be donated to The Peregrine Fund to support the Gyrfalcon Project.
Your action will help, no matter how small, in empowering the research and understanding of our rapidly changing world.
If you are interested in commissioning an original of any medium, please contact me at ofbirdsandbATgmail.com.
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