gp@picuxa.UUCP (Greg Pasquariello X1190) (01/05/88)
For all you listers and FOL (friends of listers), there is currently an immature dark phase Gyrfalcon that has been in Connecticut for the last 3 or 4 days. If anyone wants directions to it, call me at 201-952-1190 during the day, or 201-838-5844 at night. Greg Pasquariello BTW: There is also a LeConte's Sparrow about an hour from the Gyrfalcon if anyone is interested.
jonl@sco.COM (Jon R. Luini) (01/12/88)
I seem to recall some article (<439@picuxa.UUCP>) where gp@picuxa.UUCP (Greg Pasquariello X1190) said... > For all you listers and FOL (friends of listers), there is currently an > immature dark phase Gyrfalcon that has been in Connecticut for the last > 3 or 4 days. If anyone wants directions to it, call me at 201-952-1190 > during the day, or 201-838-5844 at night. > > Greg Pasquariello > > > I was wondering if anyone could give me some detailed information on the origination of Gyrfalcon, the correct pronunciation (grr-falcon, jire-falcon, or what?) and any other interesting info. I figure it's about time i learned more about something which i have been so associated with for the past year and a half. From what i understand, a Gyrfalcon is a white falcon (the name of my band is "Falcon White", thought up by my friend) and i have grown more interested in falcons as time has progressed, so any information would be appreciated. ------ Jon Luini (Never Logged In) [ Fred Smith really... im on the run... ] [thisisaborderwhichiscomposedentirelyofwordsdescribingtheborderwhichispretty ] [ == jonl@sco.COM || ...!{uunet, ihnp4, ucbvax!ucscc}!sco!jonl == ] [ == falcon@sonya.ucsc.edu || ...!ucbvax!ucscc!sonya!falcon == ] [ == falcon@fatou.ucsc.edu || ...!ucbvax!ucscc!fatou!falcon == ] [ == niteowl@ssyx.ucsc.edu || ...!ucbvax!ucscc!ssyx!niteowl == ] [ == niteowl@ucscb.ucsc.edu || ...!ucbvax!ucscc!ucscb!niteowl == ] [ == 302 Cypress Street, Santa Cruz, California 95062 == ] [ Santa Cruz, the campus with real live falcons and horrible computer names. ] [ == Home: 408-429-8868 Work: 408-425-7222 == ] [muchauniqueborderinthatitisaselfdecriptivetypeofbordersoihopeyouappreciateit] "whats the point?" "There is no point, this is BoFf!"
gp@picuxa.UUCP (Greg Pasquariello X1190) (01/13/88)
In article <88@scovert>, jonl@sco.COM (Jon R. Luini) writes: > > I was wondering if anyone could give me some detailed information on > the origination of Gyrfalcon, the correct pronunciation > (grr-falcon, jire-falcon, or what?) and any other interesting info. I have always pronounced it jeer-falcon. I have heard others call it jire- falcon, but these are usually the same people that say ruff-fed grouse :-). > I figure it's about time i learned more about something which i have been > so associated with for the past year and a half. From what i understand, > a Gyrfalcon is a white falcon (the name of my band is "Falcon White", The gyrfalcon is the largest falcon in the world. It is indeed often white, but that is simply a color morph. The species also has a black phase, and a gray phase. There is even a "brown phase", but this is simply an immature of either the gray or the black. My life bird (seen last year) was an extremely pale gray phase, aptly described as silver by another birder there. Gyrfalcons are arctic tundra birds. Occasionally they wander south of their normal territories, and appear in places that resemble their homeland, usually shores or large expanses of farmland. Although I am not sure about their entire diet, I do know that they feed to a large extent on birds (as do many of the larger falcons). The one currently in CT (a brown bird) is often seen feeding on Starlings. By the way, the bird in CT is _extremely_ tolerant of people. It roosts by day in a cemetary, and I know birders that have been within 10 yards of it. Well, there is a bit about the falcon. I hope it spurs some interest. It is truly an impressive bird. Greg.
jonl@sco.COM (ScoMole #192-1232A) (02/25/88)
i posted this a while back and never heard any responses, so i figured
i'd try one last time before forgetting about it...
I was wondering if anyone could give me some detailed information on
the origination of Gyrfalcon, the correct pronunciation
(grr-falcon, jire-falcon, or what?) and any other interesting info.
I figure it's about time i learned more about something which i have been
so associated with for the past year and a half. From what i understand,
a Gyrfalcon is a white falcon (the name of my band is "Falcon White",
thought up by my friend) and i have grown more interested in falcons
as time has progressed, so any information would be appreciated.
if a fish's eye was a telephone pole, it would swim lopsided.
===============================================================================
jon luini || WORK: 408-425-7222 || HOME: 408-423-2917
Work: || jonl@sco.com || ...!{uunet, ihnp4, ucbvax!ucscc}!sco!jonl
Evil: || niteowl@ssyx.ucsc.edu || ...!{ucbvax}!ucscc!ssyx!niteowl
Evil2: || falcon@sonya.ucsc.edu || ...|{ucbvax}!ucscc!sonya!falcon
===============================================================================mjm@oliven.olivetti.com (Michael Mammoser) (02/26/88)
In article <241@scovert>, jonl@sco.COM (ScoMole #192-1232A) writes: > > I was wondering if anyone could give me some detailed information on > the origination of Gyrfalcon, the correct pronunciation > (grr-falcon, jire-falcon, or what?) and any other interesting info. From the Encyclopedia of North American Birds: Gyrfalcon JER fall kon from the Latin gyrfalco, or girofalco, said to be a low Latin corruption of hierofalco, or "sacred falcon", for the bird so highly revered by falconers down through the ages. From Webster's: Gyrfalcon jur'fal ken from the middle English gerfaucoun, taken from the old French girfaucon, literally meaning "greedy one". The bird comes in three color phases; white, gray, and dark. The dark phase looks very similar to an immature Peregrine falcon. The gray and dark phases constitute the majority of North American sightings. Good hunting, Mike