Subject: [Tweeters] Re: terns and gulls
Date: Feb 23 17:27:35 2011
From: Kevin Purcell - kevinpurcell at pobox.com


I probably should let this drop but ...

On Feb 23, 2011, at 2:39 PM, Darlene Sybert wrote:

> The desciption that you provided does not fit the birds that we saw.
> It's interesting to me that even though I did not DESCRIBE these birds,
> you are "sure" you know what species they were.

Nope. I mentioned the birds I saw and IDed. But you didn't describe the (very rare) terns you saw. Or even suggest a species.

> If you had been
> there beside me so we could be certain we were discussing the same
> birds, I would not presume to argue with you.

Of course.

> But, the fact that you
> needed a scope to make your determinations is another indicator to me
> that you were looking at different birds because those we saw were
> flying so close to the boardwalk that the wing-feather details etc were
> visible to the naked eye.

Speaking of making assumptions ...

I didn't only look at gulls through a scope. I summarized what I saw and then described one particular odd immature gull that I, and another couple of birders found interesting, that I observed through a scope and through bins. I posted details in the hope that others might search it out and either confirm of deny my speculation.

In spending about five hours at Nisqually I walked out on the boardwalk for at least a couple of hours perhaps three. I looked at birds close and far. With my naked eye and with binoculars and with a scope.

I saw only gulls and no terns amongst the white birds I saw. Apart from the Great Egret. I did see some gulls with tern-like behavior. But they were gulls.

> That's why I am so reluctant to believe the
> Refuge Vounteer could have made a mistake
> --or now that he pointed out
> the differences in gulls and terns--that I am. Maybe they were just
> passing through...

That would be a very early migration.

As I think others have pointed out in private email take a look at range maps in Sibley or NatGeo or dates of occurrence in Opperman or Birds of Washington. There are three records for a single tern species in February (up to 2005) in Birds of Washington.

So I can't say you didn't see terns but I'm sure I didn't see any white birds with black heads, reddish beaks and pointy wings and I checked out every white flying thing I saw that day between 10am and 2pm.

If you did see a tern then write it up and submit the report to the WA Rare Bird Committee.

It really would be quite a catch this early in the year.
--
Kevin Purcell (Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA)
kevinpurcell at pobox.com
http://kevinpurcell.posterous.com
http://twitter.com/kevinpurcell