In continuing to add to my bird list seen while traveling by train, there is
a bird I see in the Ridgfield through Portland area that I am not sure of.
It is gull-sized, and when flying overhead, one can see a zigzag pattern in
mottled black on the underside of its wings. This may be a juvenile gull
pattern since I can't find it in Natl. Geo. I would think a pattern this
striking would be well-known to better gull-birders than I, so thought I'd
ask. It must be a fairly common gull for that area, at least at this time
of year.

Thoughts?

Also saw a hawk, circling with a red-tail, that had whitish patches near the
end of the wings when seen from underneath. Couldn't figure this out
either.

Yesterday, on the Portland-Seattle run, added black-bellied plover, seen
twice near large puddles in the gravelly trainyard in Portland, along with
some smaller peeps. I have been constantly amazed at what I see in this
very industrial area. This type of shorebird habitat must be extremely
scarce in the area.

- Teresa Michelsen