Tweeters,

Well, okay, I'm not really that scared of getting raked over the coals.

I stopped by the Nisqually delta today with Bill and Nancy LaFramboise.
The large flock of gulls were sitting in the fields south of I-5 (yes, at
that location, I-5 is running east-west) The bulk of the flock was in the
fields on the far side of the dairy farm. We worked our way around to
where there was a pull off where there was a fire station (don't block the
drive!). From there was could see most of the gulls well.

The first gull we picked out was a young Glaucous Gull across the
road about 50 feet in front of us, then another Glaucous Gull about the
same distance behind us. Things were looking up we thougth.

A quick scan through the many gulls produced on that was a little darker
than the other GWGU that it was sitting with. We could not tell for sure
what it was due to the way it was sitting and that it was asleep with its
head tucked back, mostly out of view.

So we started the waiting game. after about fifteen minutes or so, it
sat up and streched for us. It stuck both wings strait up in the air
showing clearly the white trailing edge of the wing moving up into the
black of the wing tips.

I could see the head much clearer this time. It still looked as though it
had a "black eye" (not a black eye. but a "black eye" as though it had
been in a fist fight over banding issues on tweeters :)). The iris did
not appear to be white, but more on the amber side. The streaking on the
head was mostly on the nape, and was a light brown in color. The rear
portion of the crown was white, and the forecrown also had some faint
streaking. The bill was straw colored (not yellow as I said before). It
was very straigt and pencil like.

Congradulations to Bill and Nancy as it was a lifer for them.

Also in the field was the albino Mew Gull, still a pretty neat bird.

I hope other get down and see these gulls.

Russell

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Russell Rogers
4510 Glenn Way SW
Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 935-6280
rrogers at halcyon.com
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