Apparently,

"Swallow-tailed gulls hunt most often under a new moon, when fish come to
the surface under the cover of darkness."

Will the gull leave just prior to the next quarter as the moon wanes, or as
the clouds cover the moon with the change of weather mid-week?
Since we're not sure when the gull made landfall in WA, perhaps it makes
sense that it did (soon after being spotted at Carkeek Pk - Thank you
Ryan!), that this was as the moon was waxing to full.

Note: The moon is full at 00:03am on the 6th but it is also starting to
cloud over more lately too, not to mention the haze.

https://www.mpg.de/7061325/swallow-tailed-gulls


This note is for Gull watchers on the beach, please do watch out for the
high-high tide. Don't get stranded and be forced to walk across the rocks
(unless you're ok with that). The tide comes in super-fast several hours
before the high tide mark 10' 9" (very high tide the next few days) at
5.55pm Tuesday. (It's advisable to start back from the point by 3pm to
avoid problems if you don't like rock climbing, but some folks found a way
along the railroad instead of the beach, but then this way involves
scrambling down the sea-wall and some rock-climbing.) The best time to gull
watch is in the morning at low tide (11am). I say this as I'm not too
nimble on the rocks, and had to get rescued coming back Sunday, by a very
nice gentleman!

Edmonds tides:
http://tides.mobilegeographics.com/calendar/month/1762.html

Also, do just avert your gaze as you walk past the naked men.

*Nadine Drisseq*
*Biologist, **Bear Smart WA*