>I too think this was a Frigatebird. I actually saw a Frigate just 3 weeks
>ago in Somerset County, NJ cruising thermals over a reservoir with a kettle
>of Turkey Vultures. Same bird? Mass FRIGATE confusion?
>
>Rob Conway

I thought of frigatebird right away because of the use of that word
"pouch," but (1) would someone describe a frigatebird as "gray with a
darker face?," (2) how about the "short tail," and (3) I've never seen a
male frigatebird with its pouch hanging out except near a breeding area.
Also, (4) why would a frigatebird be flying low over the ground next to a
road?

Other than those minor objections, a frigatebird is a good guess--it was
one of my first guesses, too. But if I discard that guess for all the
reasons listed above, I'm left with nothing at all.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 253-879-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 253-879-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416
http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/museum.html