Hello Tweets,

Today I started out the day birding in Kitsap Co. at the South Port Orchard
Airport,where I observed and photographed a "Cassin's" SOLITARY VIREO
loosely associating with a small flock of both kinglets, C.B. Chickadees,
and Oregon Juncos. 2 MOUNTAIN QUAIL were also noted at the NW corner of the
airport in scotchbroom and brambles. I observed a CATTLE EGRET north of
Silverdale east of S.R. 3 in the Clear Creek Valley. The bird was visible
in the large field as you drive north on east of S.R. 3. This bird was
probably the same bird that was present on Bainbridge Island on Dec.1st.,
because I visited that site and the bird was not seen. I birded the Everett
Public Boat Launch and photographed the possible SLATY-BACKED GULL that
Steve Mlodinow reported on 2 occasions, and from what I observed of the
bird was everything wrong for this species. The lack of white windows in
the primaries, lack of broad tertials, size and shape of bill, slightly
paler mantled than ALL birds I have seen of this species, overall tameness
of the bird, and the habitat ruled out this species, if this was the bird
observed by Steve Mlodinow and Chris Hill. Glacous-winged/Western Hybrids,
Ring-billed, and Mew Gulls were the only other gulls present during my
visit at 1:45pm, and I believe the bird I photographed was a WESTERN, just
by the overall "jizz". All Slaty-backed Gull that I have seen were present
near or on a river mouth and I have never been able to come extremely
close, as in this bird, which was photographed within 10 ft. from me.
Finally, to get off the subject, my mother and I observed and photographed
the ROSS'/SNOW GOOSE in Kent along 66th Ave. in the same flock of Canada
Geese as noted yesterday.

Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net