OK, I'll come clean. I haven't seen THIS Ross' Gull yet. However,
when I received the call about the Yaquina Bay bird several years
ago, I contemplated the fact that I had to give a midterm at 10:00
AM the next day. I also contemplated the fact that I had yet to
make up the exam, which was planned for 8:00 the following morning.
Drastic measures were called for. At that time I didn't have a
home computer, modem, or any of the modern conveniences. So--I
went into PSU at 2:00, had the exam printed by 3:00, stuffed it
into a graduate student's mail box with instructions to give it at
10:00, and hit the road for Newport. (No explanation of why he was
to give it was provided). As I went over the VanDuzen corridor in
the coast range I realized I was waaay ahead of schedule. I pulled
off into a byway to try and whistle up a Saw Whet Owl. It was
raining lightly at the time, so I stuck my head out the window and
gave a few toots. Got an almost immediate response and the bird
came into the 100' Red Cedar directly overhead. One more toot, and
I looked straight up to see the bird fluttering like a falling leaf
straight down towards me, barely visible in the murk. As it got
closer and closer I guess I subliminally recalled the title of one
of Eric Hosking's more well know books. Anyway, I jerked my head
back into the window before anything might happen to prevent me
from being able to _see_ the Ross' Gull. When I stuck my head out
again the owl had disappeared without a trace. I continued my
journey, arriving at the appointed Yaquina Bay overlook before any
other birders, before first light, in fact. Birders started
arriving soon, however, and we spent a fruitless hour or so. By
then there were lots, so I took my leave for the south side of the
Bay where I could bird a much wider area, careful to keep my eye on
the north shore a 1/2 mile away. Managed to find my first post-
split Clarke's Grebe. Finally, a binocular view of the north side
revealed multiple binocular eyes swinging rhythmically back and
forth in unison. Time to head back over the bridge. As I drove
up, excited birders told me what I already knew. I headed down to
the small dock of the Coast Guard Station and brought the ol'
camera into play. After about a roll, a self-important officer
strutted past a group of bemused corpsmen who had been watching the
fun, out onto the dock, and told me the area was off limits. Just
as well by then. I headed back north to PSU, encountering a major
'wreck' of Red Phalarope in Nestucca Bay to end a very pleasant
day. Even made the 4:00 seminar. No one at PSU was asking any
questions, so I didn't have to tell any lies.

I ultimately submitted by best Ross' shot to the first and only
BIRDING photo contest, where the judges preferred a family shot of
Canada Geese. Oh, well. My consolation prize was a back-cover
feature of this photo to accompany an article on Ross' Gull nesting
diagonally across the continent. This was one of the few non-
advertizing back covers they ever used.

Always thought this made kind of a nice story, and had planned to
send it to Birders' World or some such place along with the photos.
And maybe I will, so don't tell anyone else. Especially anyone at
PSU. (This means you especially, Judith, in case you're
listening).
I could continue about the Idaho Fork-tailed Flycatcher. At least
that was before school started. However I'll spare you the details
for now.

Now, if I can only convince a birding buddy to call in sick
tomorrow, I won't have to wait for the weekend. (After all, exams
are over now) Bob O'Brien

PS. I'm not making any of this up.