Hello All
Today I birded several areas in King County. In Kent I had 5 Trumpeter
Swans, an adult Peregrine, and a harrier near Smith Brothers. The only two
areas that I found large numbers of waterfowl were at Emerald Downs and at
the Kent Ponds. The Red-shouldered Hawk was not seen, though I did see that
unusual imm. Red-tailed that does a good impression.

In the afternoon I looked at gulls. First, I checked the Tukwila gull spot,
which is near the Boeing facility accessed from Gateway Drive, just off
Interurban Ave. Good numbers of gulls were going down to the Green River and
bathing, mostly Thayer's Gulls which numbered 70 or more, including a good
mix of ages. There was one beautiful 1st cycle Glaucous Gull which was
decidedly small and very long-winged. Also 1 first cycle Glaucous x Herring
Gull.

I then hurried over to Lake Washington for the sunset gull show. I went to
Gene Coulon first, but quickly realized that thousands of birds were pouring
into the Cedar Rivermouth! I ran into Bart Whelton over there and picked
through the gulls until it was too dark to see. Highlights were the gimpy
adult SLATY-BACKED GULL, the 2W Glaucous Gull, a 1W almost-GLGU (the bill
was somewhat dusky-based, and the head was darkish), and last but not least,
Bob, the nasty little Glaucous Gull that won't leave me alone. The bird was
portraying its daintiest side today, looking indistinguishable from a
Thayer's in structure, but it still has that weird head.

Cheers
Charlie Wright
Bonney Lake, Washington