Hiya tweets (and specifically Gene) -

I was glad to read your account of the Sequim area Slaty-
backed Gull. I was also in Sequim and Port Angeles yesterday
and saw the Slaty-back in the exact same spot around 12:30 PM.
I was a little worried when I saw all the Westerns in the flock
that could complicate the search a little, but most of them were
immaculately white-plumed on the head, and it was the streakin
immaculately white-plumed on the head, and it was the head
streaking on the Slaty-back that first caught my eye. I agree
100% with your description of the bird. I was fortunate enough
to see it fly twice and got brief looks at the wing pattern
from both above and below. The pattern of the staggered "string-
of-pearls" seems to be at least as evident in the underwing as
in the upperwing. It was a nice opportunity
in the upperwing. Nice to see this bird after not seeing one
since the Tacoma bird of 4-5 years ago.

Jim Flynn
Renton, WA
bf519 at scn.org