I was at Dumas Sanctuary this morning counting the many, new-this-week Bonaparte's gulls, when the serious King County birds showed up en-masse. They shared they had been viewing the Black-headed Gull at Saltwater park this morning (before 10:15am) and had seen it fly south toward Dumas.
Within ten minutes we were all getting good 100-yards views of the Black-headed gull (10:30am) thanks to the good eyes of the newly arrived searchers. The bird was still being seen well at Dumas when I left around 11am. It was on shore preening in the middle of the scallop-shape beach (right of the trail end as you reach the beach area).
Also, from the same trail end viewpoint I found a single, male Redhead a couple hundred yards offshore associating with the smaller flock of Surf Scoter. In the marshy area next to trail end/viewpoint was a single American Coot. Both are firsts for me in visits over the last fall/winter.
Good birding,Craig CummingsFederal Way newbie