Tweets,
we blasted over the mountin yesterday (Sat Apr 7) in
the O-Dark-Thirty, to arrive at Moses Lake at 8:00 AM,
in search of the Lesser Black-backed Gull (LBBG).
We started at Neppel Landing in Moses Lake, and found
about everything BUT the LBBG. The largest group of
Common Mergansers I've ever seen, about 40 BN Stilts,
and massive flocks of Coots and DC Cormorants. Neat
Place! The Bar upstream of the bridge (viewed from
behind the Walmart across the bridge) had a LOT of
gulls (CA, Ring-billed, a Herring) but no LBBG.
(PS there is a wounded Canada Goose (broken
wing)hanging on the bar as well, if anyone knows a
re-habber that could try to catch it!)

Then we ran up to Soap Lake next. NICE flock of
Avocets at the south end, and a large flock of
Ring-bill Gulls. Lots of Scaup, Eared Grebe, and
Ruddy Ducks on the lake. And more Avocets on the
north end of the lake as well. No LBBG.

Lake Lenore.
South end, LOTS of ducks on the lake, no gulls at
all!!! We drove up all the way the coulee to Sun
Lakes park, stopping for every Gull we saw. Which was
only about 30 gulls. Nada. Zip. Bup-kiss for the
LBBG.

On the way back down the coulee, we re-scanned
everything. Stopped at Lenore Caves and saw 3
Loggerhead Shrikes.
Then, about 1/2 way down Lenore, at the south side of
the high hill, there is a small turn-out on the west
side of the road near the top of the hill. We spotted
a couple of gulls on a small island in the middle of
the lake. About 6 CA Gulls and the fabled Lesser
Black-backed Gull!

Very dark mantle relative to the CA gulls. Yellow
legs. Few white spots on the wing tips. Bill
'relatively' narrow and short.
We watched it for an hour, hoping to see it fly. No
dice. Satisfying, if Distant views.

Also along Lenore, we found a pair of Prairie Falcons,
LOTS of WT Swifts, heard some Chukar, and called up a
Sage Sparrow.

On the way home we stopped at Ryegrass rest area (west
bound side), and found a VERY out-of-place Red-naped
Sapsucker! There is only about 6 SMALL juniper trees
there, and he was working over every one of them, down
near ground level! Beautiful bird!

Great day, about 80 species seen, and the LBBG !!!

Guy

Guy McWethy
Renton, WA
mailto: lguy_mcw at yahoo.com



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