Hi Tweets-
This afternoon, Kraig Kemper & I watched the Slaty-backed Gull for a
couple minutes from Gene Coulon Park in Renton. Unfortunately, a Bald
Eagle arrived on the scene just minutes after we spotted the SBGU.
All the gulls departed to safer locales.

The Slaty-backed was seen around 3:45 in the afternoon.

Before that, over at the mouth of the Cedar River, we also got good
looks at the 2nd winter Glaucous Gull that has been around for a
couple weeks now.

The Renton Airport folks seem to be shooting their fireworks at a
very low angle these days, right over the sandbar where the gulls
hang out..... Though I understand the need to keep the gulls out of
the engines of the planes, I am starting to notice a growing number
of dead gulls on these bars --- perhaps shot by the Airport folks.
I've never actually seen a gull hit by the airport fireworks, so this
is speculation. But if anyone notices similar behavior out there,
perhaps it would be a good idea to keep track of what we all see.

Good birding,

Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA

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