ML273578931

Age and sex

Juvenile, Unknown sex - 1

Observation details

--Written by Zach Millen-- Juvenile found early this morning in the parking lot of the adjacent commercial building by one of their employees. Photo was texted to a friend, another friend, then posted to ID that PA Bird Facebook page where details began to emerge. Thanks to Ross Gallardy for quickly messaging the poster to obtain a number for me, which I called and was astonished to hear that it was right outside my work campus. By this point it had wandered into the grassy field beside the next door church, where I found it sitting rather unceremoniously and no doubt much confused. Fortunately for the bird, a rehabber from Raven Ridge was 20 minutes out, so I immediately texted RBAs and birders revved their engines. Unfortunately for the rehabber, she was rear-ended en route and became delayed for another hour and a half. A number of blown-away birders were able to see it before she finally arrived and captured it, and word was that it would be transferred to Red Creek Wildlife Center. Incredible first record for Lancaster county! The consensus theory was that it came off of the Susquehanna River overnight (probably out of the Chesapeake, but may have been wandering the river prior?), and became lost in the extremely intense fog overnight. At dawn It may have seen the wet parking lot around the building and thought that it was water, and once down it was too late. Or, just being a young bird, maybe it simply picked a very poor LZ. Thanks to the finders for having the wherewith-all to post about their unusual bird, and the efforts of the rehabber to pick it up. The gannet would almost certainly have found it impossible to lift off from the grassy field, particularly on a windless day. We all hope it makes it back to the ocean where it belongs! 2021 UPDATE Unfortunately, the gannet had an injury to one wing and could not be saved. https://photos.app.goo.gl/bLEPL3vA1jKEgssY7

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Lens

EF400mm f/5.6L USM

ISO

400

Focal length

400 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/5.6

Shutter speed

1/500 sec

Dimensions

1825 pixels x 1217 pixels

Original file size

566.48 KB