Great Egrets were around today at the Frog Lake access to Marsh Units I and II at the Columbia NWR, but no Snowy. I also checked the unit about half a mile north of there. That's a really pretty shallow lake that hosted a number of Great Egrets, but no Snowy. There were Wilson's Phalaropes, Cinnamon and Blue-winged Teal, northern Shovelers, american Wigeons, Coots, lots of Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Black-necked Stilts, and many Ring-billed Gulls. Behind the gulls there was one smaller gull hanging with the phalaropes. It had a black bill, white head with dark smudge behind the eyes, pinkish legs, light gray mantle, and brown primaries. I'm assuming this is a young BONAPARTE'S GULL, although Sibley does not help to determine its age. It was well seen by scope but too far away to photograph.

Carol Riddell
Edmonds, Wa