Tweeters,
On Saturday I had a few hours of good weather in Clallam County before the stormy weather settled in around 1030. I checked the area along the salt water from Sequim to the Elwha River mouth. I checked through all of the gull flocks I could find and noted at least 1 Glaucous Gull, 1 Glaucous or GxGW hybrid, and one potential Slaty-backed. I was surprised at the number of Eurasian Collared-Doves that have colonized the area.

The largest concentration of gulls encountered was between the dairy and the adjacent lagoon on Washington Harbor Road. In the morning there were about 500 birds present with the vast majority being Glaucous-Winged or hybrid/ Olympic Gulls. Only 2-3 California, and 4 Thayer?s (all 1st year) were noted here. It seems to me that both of these species are a bit hard to find this winter. The possible Slaty-back was in a field with other gulls along Port Williams Road near the intersection of Scmuck Road. It was there briefly in the AM (about 0830), and not present during a return visit in the afternoon. I believe this bird was a Slaty-back, but I observed it only briefly and at distance. It flew before I could get the scope out. The bird was an adult, the dark mantle had deep flat/ colder gray than the near by Westerns and stood out as distinct at distance. The face had dark mottling around the eye, but the bird was too distant to see eye color. The legs seemed a rather bright pink, with the left foot missing so that it hobbled when moving on the ground. If someone else encounters stumpy, it will be evident. I could not see black in the under-wing pattern in flight, and was not able to get any detail on the upper-wing. Unfortunately this bird departed toward the salt water at Port Williams when most of the rest of the flock re-settled. It could not be relocated despite searching and returning the PM.

A first cycle Glaucous Gull was present in the PM at the lagoon off of Port Washington road near the National Lab property. The other Glaucous or Glaucous hybrid was near the end of Ediz Hook near the park where seed is put out. This bird seemed on the small side, very pale, with a rather rounded head, long wings, and a rather smudgy bi-colored bill. There were a few very pale gray mantle feathers in mid to upper back. The upper-parts were nicely checkered and the primaries were very light/ whitish and unmarked. I would have liked to photograph this bird but the weather was not cooperating.

Further west there were a number of nice looking Thayer?s Gulls (mostly adults) among the more common, GW, GWxW, and Mew Gulls. By about 1130 the weather had pretty much slowed things considerably. If any one is birding the Sequim area it would be nice get a few photos and a good ID on stumpy.

Cheers and good birding
Bill Shelmerdine, Olympia
mailto: georn1 at hotmail.com