I was scoping from the south end of the Edmonds public pier this morning. At 8 a.m., the STGU flew in from offshore, over my head, and then continued into the Edmonds marina and landed among the Heermann?s Gulls at the north end of the south breakwater, i.e., near the marina entrance. Photos can be seen in the link to my eBird checklist. Once it landed among the HEEGs, I could not see it. You would need to take a scope to the south end of the pier and just hope that the bird rests where it can be seen, or that one of the Bald Eagles flies through the marina and causes the gull flock to rise up.

A word of caution. Salmon season is in full swing. There are a lot of anglers on this public, multi-use pier. The group at the south end of the pier were particularly unfriendly. There is not a lot of room for lots of birders. If the gull had landed on the north breakwater, scopes could spread out along the pier and see it. If it remains on the south breakwater, birders will be clumped together at the south end of the pier. It might be visible from the fuel dock inside the marina. That dock, however, is at water level so you have to look up to see the top of the breakwater. If the gull is towards the outer side of the breakwater, then the pier is the best viewing location.

http://ebird.org/ebird/pnw/view/checklist/S39049232 <http://ebird.org/ebird/pnw/view/checklist/S39049232>

Carol Riddell
Edmonds, WA