After a long search yesterday {all Day}the SLATY-BACKED GULL is sighted
today at 9:OO AM of Lincoln AVE. on Mark Ave.and e.18th Street, on the
building 1640.It was raining pretty hard, and the Bird was standing quite.I
stayed for 20 minutes.
Direction for the BIRDERS which never been there:Coming North, take EXIT
134, right onPortland Ave,going west,first Street after Bridge,what is
Lincoln Ave.turn right. Crossing the Puyallup River. On the right side you
see the Pond go farther up where the entrance to the GOG-LE- HI-TE Wetlands
is.From there you can view pretty much all the Roofs and the Meat plant in
the distance.The Gull is elusive, he can be anywhere, including the
Puyallup River.
This Bird is verry black on the Mantle,compare the dark western which you
also find there.This Western have a verry bright yellow Bill all white Head
smal dark Eye no smudge around the Eye and no fine streakes from head to
do half way down to the breast, than you know you got the wrong Gull. The
reason i mention this many people made this mistake before.
This Gull is verry black as compaired to a Greater Black Backed this dark.
The Bill is pale yellow with a smal red spot on the under Culmen, smal
refind Bill comparison to the Western Gull there.This Notice the dark
smudge around the Eye which from a distance appears as if he got a large
Eye.From a distance you cannot see the Eye colour, so dont let you throw
this of. Looking at my photos{i came this close} i see the reddish pink
Ring around the Eye,the Western have a yellow Ring. I also noticed the legs
appear darker pink. In flight, the wide white trailing edge. I manly point
out the different in thi two Gulls there to compare.You will see the SLATY
BACKED GULL on Dennis Paulson Web-site shortly.

This Bird was found by:Steve Hampton. which visit here from California. He
have a fantastic Website all on GULLS. He also is an exciting and
experience Birder.
Ruth Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net






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