This afternoon between 1-2.30pm.

Photos (3 - click through):
https://www.facebook.com/ArdeaGaia/photos/pcb.2259294434381582/565306880670148/?type=3&theater&ifg=1


Description:

Franklin's Gull at Lake Sammamish State Park, on north side of Sunset beach
Aug 17 (today) between 1-2.30pm. Continuing bird.

With the beach totally packed with children for an event, the bird is still
loafing with a flock of large gulls. He stands out with his small size and
patchy, dark face with white eye-ring. Bill is black with orange tip. He is
still a pretty gull despite not being in breeding plumage.

Every now and again he flies off the beach - often it's because he's been
chased by children running into the flock of loafing gulls. When he flew
out I lost track of him at first but he came back after 20 mins. Then he
was flushed again and he left alone, and settled about 1/4 mile out into
Lake Sammamish - almost too far for my Monarch 9's against the grey water,
but just visible if you knew where he set down. He looks like he'll stay
for the rest of the day, but he also looks a little alone and lost with the
huge gulls around him and he walked off by himself for a while.

Considering there were so many people there, I think it's a good chance you
can find him back and forth from beach to water all day, today if you want
to go look.

I also found a Black-throated gray warbler with a mixed flock of Chickadees
& Nuthatches etc., right by Issaquah Creek just east of the beach but west
of the large ped bridge. Just listen for twittering and find a flock then
parse it. For those interested, I believe that the Black-throated grays are
nesting to the north of football fields 1&2, which are just next to the
Alpine Animal Hospital off NW Sammamish Rd. in Issaquah. Every Spring and
through Summer for the last two years I can hear them calling. It's mixed
conifer and black cottonwoods there - and i think it must be the latter
they are hanging out in. Very tall trees. Park at the football field is
easiest and just walk through the gate into the park, and use your ears,
they are easily found but have already dispersed into the lower reaches of
the park. I find them most commonly on the south side of Issaquah Creek by
the Sunset beach parking lot lately.

BTW I see someone e-birded a Townsend's Solitaire at Lake Samm a few months
back. I wish I had known...would really love to see one. Pls keep me in
mind if you do see one in the puget sound area. Thank you! :)

Enjoy!
Nadine D.
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