Date:         Sun, 5 Mar 2000 09:12:01 -0800
Reply-To:     Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         Charlie <cmmbirds@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      gull kettle question
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Hi Bob and others,

Here at Jug Bay, the gulls commonly kettle as
they are ready for the next stage in their
commute between the Chesapeake and Upper
Marlboros dump and fast food joints.  Being big
birds, with proportionately big wings, I believe
they are capable of catching thermals in a way
similar to that of buteos.

Often when they leave here, it almost looks as it
there is a kettle moving as one, as opposed to
birds that get up and fly in a straight
direction.

Sorry I don't have a Yellow Book handy - Jug Bay
has run out, and mine is at home.  But I do
believe it is early for them.

On another note - there are 2 Chippies at the Jug
Bay feeder, first I've seen in MD since the big
snow.

Charlie

--- Bob Hartman <hartm21@ATTGLOBAL.NET> wrote:
> Yesterday evening Toni and I went to Little
> Bennett to try
> to find the displaying woodcocks that Rob Gibbs
> mentioned a
> couple of days ago.  That was quite successful;
> 8-10 were
> vocalizing at the location Ron mentioned, and
> we saw 2-3 of
> them.  Thanks for the tip, Ron.  We bird at LB
> frequently,
> but almost always in the AM, and we've never
> seen woodcocks
> there.
>
> We went early (4:30 or so) and walked for a
> while before
> sunset.  Didn't see many birds (bad time of
> day), but we did
> see one thing that puzzled us, and want to ask
> for opinions
> from others.  For at least 15 minutes while we
> were walking,
> there was what appeared to be a "kettle" of
> hawks overhead,
> about 20, very high, so that we couldn't see
> much detail.  All
> appeared to be very white underneath (both
> wings and body),
> with possible black wing-tips.  Looked for but
> couldn't
> discern tail-bands on the white tails.  Could
> these have been
> Broad-Winged Hawks?  It seems pretty early.
>
> The only other thing we could think of that
> would be that big
> and white underneath is gulls, but we've never
> seen or heard
> of gulls forming a "kettle".
>
> Opinions would be welcome.
>
>         Bob Hartman
>         Colesville
>
>
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=====
****************************************
Charlie Muise, Naturalist
Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary
Maryland, USA

Question: What does a 1,000 lb. canary say? Answer: Here kitty, kitty, kitty!
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