Lookout, Jack!

[furtech]

Something for Martes and other bird watchers in Southern California:

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/4567492/detail.html

[A martial eagle escaped from a movie-animal trainer's compound-- seen flying over Topanga Canyon. She looks like a Roz character.]

Comments

[crocuta.livejournal.com]

Does that count on your life list if it is an escaped pet or non-native bird.. like those parrots that live in NYC?

[skorzy.livejournal.com]

Depends on the birder, but if this eagle is living wild now in So.Cal, then it will count on the list. So long as they're not captive animals. Escaped captives are fairgame..within reason. i.e. you shouldn't count a falcon that might be on the wing during a falconry exhibit etc. The parrots in NYC, and the ones that are now breeding populations in SoCal count for the list.

Perhaps when I'm back there this summer, I'll get lucky and have Martial Eagle on my lifelist.

[martes.livejournal.com]

I always figured only exotics in a breeding population counted. For example I saw a male cardnial singing at a local park, but when i reported it to the rare bird people, they said it was probably an escaped cage bird and wasn't important. (sighs)