Netitishi day 7 - Gyrfalcon photoshoot!

Introductory Post
Day 1 and 2 - October 24 and 25, 2013
Day 3 and 4 - October 26 and 27, 2013
Day 5 - October 28, 2013
Day 6 - October 29, 2013
Day 7 - October 30, 2013
Day 8 - October 31, 2013
Day 9 - November 1, 2013
Day 10 and 11 - November 2 and 3, 2013

October 30, 2013
Weather: between -7 and -2 degrees Celsius, mostly clear, winds WSW 10-20 km/h and calm at dusk. 
45 species
Ebird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15559934

This proved to be a fantastic day at Netitishi Point. We observed 45 species of birds, the higher daily count for the trip. There were no really noticeable groups of birds to steal the show - instead, we were able to see most of the expected species. Late shorebirds included two Black-bellied Plovers, two American Golden-plovers, a Greater Yellowlegs, and a Hudsonian Godwit. Two new birds were added to the trip list - a group of three Ruffed Grouse that I found near the camp, and a Red Phalarope an hour later.

I sat down at my scope and  was scanning over the calm sea, lit up with late October sunshine. After a few minutes of watching flocks of Dunlin flying by but not much else, I got on a plump gray shorebird with a narrow white wingstripe and white underwing. It was a Red Phalarope and I stayed on it as it for about a minute as it motored on a few hundred meters off shore, heading west. Red Phalaropes are uncommon but regular in the autumn in southern James Bay and I was happy to finally see my first.

Later in the afternoon, Alan returned from a walk down to meadows east of the point. He was within earshot when I noticed a large pale bird of prey coming in off the bay and flying straight at us. "Look up!" I yelled. We watched as the white morph Gyrfalcon came straight at us, curious as to who we were.

Gyrfalcon - Netitishi Point

It ended up being one of the most memorable wildlife experiences that I have ever had. The lighting was perfect, I happened to have my camera on me, and I was in perfect position with the sun at my back to capture flight photos. The Gyrfalcon was immaculate!

Gyrfalcon - Netitishi Point

The Gyrfalcon buzzed us not once but four times over the course of several minutes. Twice it perched at the pinnacle of a nearby spruce, allowing us to have prolonged views of this arctic beauty.

Gyrfalcon - Netitishi Point

Big wing stretch!

Gyrfalcon - Netitishi Point

Wow. Flying directly at me...what an experience!

Gyrfalcon - Netitishi Point

This following photograph was certainly my favorite of the bunch. One of my goals of the trip was to get re-acquanted with Gyrfalcons, a species that in Ontario can only be somewhat reliably seen in James Bay in late autumn. I had always dreamed of having a photoshoot with a gyr, but never imagined that it could have gone this well. This is definitely my favorite photo of the bird!

Gyrfalcon - Netitishi Point

Eventually the Gyrfalcon had enough of us, and after one more flyby, it powered off over the frozen coastline to the west.

Gyrfalcon - Netitishi Point

Gyrfalcon - Netitishi Point

Gyrfalcon - Netitishi Point

Needless to say, after building a fire that evening we broke out the whiskey to celebrate a successful day at Netitishi Point. The Gyrfalcon photoshoot was undoubtedly the main highlight of the trip at this point, but it was only going to get better the next day...