Went to Crescent Lake WMA, near Monroe, WA today in search of year-list Tundra Swans. ? ?I parked at the south parking lot, right off Crescent Lake Rd...NOT the northern lot near where the Rusty Blackbird was being seen last winter. ?directly across Crescent Lake Rd from the lot is a large, partially flooded field. ?Around 4:15PM, I saw a large (100-150) flock of small gulls fly into the field from the east. ?The vast majority of them were Mews, with a couple of Ring-bills peppered in. ?In flight, I noticed an apparent Bonaparte's Gull (upper forewing a white triangle with black trailing edge, dark ear-spot) and waited for it to land for a better look. ?When it did land, only 300 feet from the road, I immediately saw the bright red legs (not pink, not reddish, but lipstick-red) and then the slender, black-tipped red bill. ?As compared to nearby Mew Gulls, it had paler mantle, no white showing in black wingtips, no smudging or streaking on neck or head--just the dark earspot, smudged upwards toward the crown. ?Bill longer, and, of course, red with dark tip. ?Red-tailed Hawk scattered the flock eastward, and I cursed my lack of 'scope. ?Thankfully, Bill Fletcher and Vickie Scales appeared, both toting cameras, and I was able to relocate the bird for some distant, but hopefully identifiable shots.
Oh, yeah. ?Found three Tundras among 100 Trumpeters, too. ?

Jeff Bryant
Seattle
jbryant_68 ?AT yahoo