I made it down to Commencement Bay around 10:45
this a.m. No immediate luck on the Black Tailed
Gull. Lots of Californias, some Black Turnstones,
cormorants, two Scoters, Kingfisher, Least
Sandpipers, some Bonaparte's gulls, crows,
chickadees overhead in tree. A few locals stopped
by in the next 15 minutes to ask what I was
looking for and why there had been so many people
around lately. They were all very nice and
appreciated the story. Somewhat after 11:00 I was
joined by another group and together we searched -
still no luck. Hans Joachim-Feddern came around
11:30 and we searched together - again without
success. About 15 minutes later, we did find the
juvenile Franklin's Gull on the right log boom -
seemingly the same spot that Carol Schulz had it
yesterday. It had not been there when I first
scanned so that was a treat. Somewhat after Greg
Townsend arrived and by then the Franklin's had
departed but a group of at least a dozen common
terns had come in at the extreme left end of that
same boom. There were also several Boanaparte's
Gulls that visited, some stayed and some flew
off. It was striking to see the size difference
between them and the multitude of California gulls
on the boom. Greg took off into the Bay with his
kayak - without success for the BTGull I believe
but an interesting sight was seeing at least 40
seals following him behind the kayak. Hans and I
wondered why since previously the seals had mostly
been on the logs - well over 100. (I have
photographic proof.)

After being joined by another couple of birders
and two last scans without success, I took a break
for lunch at the Brown's Point Diner. A red tailed
hawk called and circled as I left. Also went to
the lighthouse which was very quiet: Flicker,
Kingfisher, Cormorants, Bonaparte's Gulls, Horned
Grebe, Crows, nothing "special". I returned to a
crowd at the BTG site. At least a dozen scoping
birders in a couple of different locations. Still
no luck as I left about 2:45. I expect that there
will be reports that the bird showed up by 3:00
and was seen by many. Actually hope that was the
case. If so may try again this weekend.

The Franklin's Gull was a treat. Disappointed of
course re the BTGull but good conversations with
good people...that is a frequent treat that comes
with this hobby.