A less than 1 day old, still blind gyrfalcon squeaks at me, thinking I was its mother. Beside him is a pipping egg, along with one still brooding.

So full, they can't even keep their eyes open.

Addled eggs in a nest abandoned by the adults, for reasons unknown.

Apparently, his mother didn't teach him any table manners.

"You're not mom..."

"Ahhh! Get away, I'll kill ya!"

Double Trouble

You want me to tell you the truth? Ok, fine, I don't like you.

A nest on top of a volcano offers quite the view.

Quite literally, "STAY THE ---- OUT OF MY NEST!!!"

*Second Place Wildlife - University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Xi Sigma Pi Photo Contest 2006

The intensity of Alaskan mosquitoes.

What the hell ya lookin' at?

Up Close & Personal

Peek-a-boo.

Discovered when banded, Phil, a flightless gyrfalcon due to his inability to grow rectrices and remiges, was rescued from his impending death on Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Without the ability to fly, Phil had no chances for survival in the unforgiving natural world.
He now resides in Juneau, Alaska, where he is one of the only wild-born, captive, educational gyrfalcons in the world, assisting educators in teaching arctic ecology and stressing the importance of conservation of the world's natural areas.

Although flightless, Phil still knows how to have fun. He thouroughly enjoys hopping up on boxes and chasing & harassing dogs of all sizes.

Phil with the remaining downy feather tips characteristic of first-year birds.

Phil

Phil demonstrates a (near) perfect example of juvenal, gray-phase gyrfalcon plumage.

Phil the Gyrfalcon

Phil's Serious Face

Phil contemplates his future on one of his last nights on the Alaskan tundra.

The mother gyrfalcon is always, always watching.

The "Death Star" female in 2005, with visible silver and color bands from earlier that summer.
In 2006, she would become the 12th re-sighted (banded) gyrfalcon in the world.

Mom is mad.

The Mighty Gyrfalcon

On a stoop like this, within 10 feet of our heads, her fanned-out feathers sound like sitting in the first row of a Nascar race.