Subject: [Tweeters] Gray-headed Junco & Slaty-backed Gull
Date: Dec 31 19:29:47 2006
From: pslott - VariedThrush at comcast.net


Tweeters,

I can hardly believe such good fortune as I've had the last three days.
After heading home from a full morning in Seattle today, I got the
message that it would be alright for Kristin Stewart and me to visit
Sandy's feeders to see the Gray-headed Junco this afternoon. We were
very lucky to have excellent light and a cooperative bird that gave us
great views three times. This is a truly lovely subspecies and we felt
graced by its presence. Sandy was truly gracious, even though my server
had been so slow to deliver her message from yesterday evening. Alan
Lincoln enjoyed the bird with us, and on the way home, as we discussed
the plumage of the bird he exclaimed, "We should get one!" I will do my
best.

We'd been in such a hurry that Alan and I forgot to take the scope, but
I still wanted to swing by the mouth of the Cedar River to try for the
Slaty-backed Gull with our binoculars. When we arrived, Cameron Cox and
several more excellent birders were already on the bird with scopes.
Two fellow alumi from TESC let us view the eye of the bird on the
sandbar in the still excellent light at about 4:15 PM. As the bird
turned before us, stretched its wings and then flew we could see all the
field marks described by Sibley in his field guide; wide white margins
on the tips of the secondaries, the 'string of pearls' clearly visible
under the wing, the dark mantle color and streaking on the nape and
neck, and that unusual dark streak through the light eye.

I apologize for my hasty post last night. I was hoping someone else
might have seen the Long-billed Murrelet and I would have more incentive
to go back and look again today or tomorrow. As it is, inspite of the
many great birds that are being seen daily in this area (Common Redpoll
at Discovery Park!!), I may have to take a body break and rest a bit.

It's been a fabulous 2006, and I wish you all the best 2007 ever! Happy
New Year!

Patricia S. Lott
Seattle, WA
mail to: VariedThrush at comcast.net