Hi tweets,

additionally to keeping hands off gulls which are a) far b) fast c)
non-adult d) strange looking (if necessary you can put any gull to d)),
it is always better to learn species where they occur plentiful. A
change from Vancouver B.C. to the Outer Coast can already bring a change
from Glaucous-winged Gullx?? to California Gull as a common species -
CAGU is for me still an exceptional observation in Vancouver. (I know
that other people find them regularly).

AND, even if you don't master the distinction of all these seagulls, that
doesn't mean that you should retreat to watching TV: observations and
notes about easier birds are also needed. Guess that applies also for
CBC's, or any bird counts: it's beautiful to have a really good birder on
a team, because your own ID of a mystery bird will be put to the test;
but there are always areas or birds he will miss. The "alpha birder" will
get most of the singing ones before a student even realizes that
something is singing, BUT: he can't screen the sky 360 degrees, and you
have a good chance at discovering first woodpeckers, nuthatches,
creepers, shrikes, owls, as long as you are persistently using your eyes.
Just keep looking. Know where are your limits - then you know where to
expand.

Reto Riesen
Dept. Chem., UBC
Vancouver, B.C.
riesenr at chem.ubc.ca