Hello Tweeters,
Patrick already give a good report from our trip ,i still like to give my
few sense in to this most exiting trip to Walla Walla to find the
Lesser-Black-backed Gull.Before we left i looked and read all what i could
about this species,to make sure what to look for fieldmarks in the field
when i spotted the bird.
As you already read we left at 1.00 AM Saturday morning with not so good
weather driving the long ride to Walla Walla. Our windshield wipers never
got turned of during that time.The worst came going to the Dump where we
had to walk to deep mud running down hill and we all got mudded up some
more than others.After a search for this Gull with no results we left to
Hussy road where we stayed for six long hours partly rain and snow the
whole time, and sitting in the car to warm up.The reward was a beautiful
Adult Glaucous Gull, first for me ,and he stood out from any other Gulls
around. The nice part of this long staying was to visit all with manly
verry experienced well knowing birders, where many conversation of Gulls
where made. So the time realy went by fast . I am sorry to say but 12
birders did not see the Lesser-Black-backed Gull that evening when Mike
Denny and Merry Lynn took us later to the Walla Walla River Delta where"
TWELFE BIRDERS " waited the cold and rain with snow mixed out all day.We
got well rewarded with great looks of this great bird.One think i will
mention to go birding in Walla Walla is great no peron there complaint with
all this cars parked on the road birders standing on the road,all stopped
and could not believe that we was staring at all this gulls what was out on
the onion fields.We all was treated special by James Nestler and Mike
Denny his wife Merry Lynn what was going home to bring Hot Chocolate to all
the birders out in the cold. As I said never i experienced such hospitality
than in Walla Walla,where Mike endlessley throwing bred to entice the gulls
what was far away in the field to come closer for viewing.I will give
"THANK YOU MIKE and MERRY LYNN" for showing us such good finding and a
first record for Wahington State.We all could not done this with out you
and you instinkt where the bird could be found and what his move where.If i
have stood ten hours, it was all worth every minute to see this Gull.
Seeing the Burrowing Owl today at the Pasco Airport was an extra bonus,i
came 10 feet away from this bird sitting on his burrow on a prey he this
catch not even notice me comming so close.I like to repeat this trip any
time soon.

Ruth Sullivan
Tacoma
godwit at worldnet.att.net