Subject: Tacoma Slaty-backed & Firgrove news
Date: Jan 19 18:20:12 1998
From: Michael B. Brown - borealis at borealis.seanet.com


I visited Gog-le-hi-te today and saw the Slaty-backed Gull- my first. After
observing it on a roof near the wetland for 20-25 minutes, Dick Kirker
(spelling?) showed up to confirm the ID. Thanks Dick!

The bird I observed had a very dark gray mantle and wings. Tips of primaries
were black on upper surface, lighter beneath. White spots on primaries were
prominent. There was also a very large white spot on the underside of the
primaries. The trailing edge of the wings had a very wide white strip.

The size of the bird was comparable to Glaucous-winged Gulls and Westerns
nearby. Bill size and shape was difficult for me to judge, but there was a
large red spot on the lower mandible. This individual had streaking or
mottling (hard to tell from the distance) on head and back of neck, some
noted on throat and breast as well. There was a dark area around the eye,
which Dick referred to as a "smudge". Eye color undetermined due to the
distance. Pink legs.

While there I observed a Lincoln's Sparrow in a blackberry tangle. It was in
beautiful plumage!

I then travelled to Harry Todd Park to look for the Little Gull. I looked
for 10-15 minutes, scanning the far side of the lake with my scope. It
finally showed up, thanks to those black under wing surfaces. That was the
only detail I could really make out, although it did appear smaller than the
Bonaparte's Gulls.

Following is a news report I posted to my Nature Trail web site about
today's visit & a Kingfisher siting from December.

Today many birds were seen. At the pond were about ten Mallards. Seen and
heard nearby were Song Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and a Spotted Towhee.
Flying overhead were several small groups of American Wigeons. West of the
main parking lot for Ballou Junior high is a grove of alders. In and around
the alders were large numbers of American Robins. Also nearby was a Varied
Thrush. A flock of Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets moved about the
grove. A Brown Creeper was seen working the trunk of a tree.

On December 30th a male Belted Kingfisher was heard then seen by the pond.
Michael B. Brown
Puyallup, Washington
H-253-841-4281
W-253-841-8733
C-253-208-9588
borealis at borealis.seanet.com
Nature Trail- http://www.puyallup.k12.wa.us/USR/firgrove/brown/trail.htm
Home Page- http://www.seanet.com/~borealis/Resume.htm

"...I found myself suddenly neighbor to the birds; not by having imprisoned
one, but having caged myself near them."

-Thoreau
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(o!o)
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