Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2001 18:02:35 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Michael Bowen Subject: DC sightings, 11/13 Comments: cc: Voice of the Naturalist Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed There was a 4th winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL in one of the gull loafing areas (the one just downstream of the Anacostia Community Center) along the Anacostia River in Anacostia Park at 11:30 a.m. today, November 13. It was in the company of RING-BILLED, HERRING, GREAT BLACK-BACKED and a few LAUGHING GULLS. Lesser black-backs have been regular along the Anacostia the last two winters, with 2-3 birds often found. I have little doubt that we'll be reporting the species regularly from the Anacostia this winter too. I haven't birded this area lately so I do not know how long this particular Lesser Black-back has been here. This individual has a very streaked head (which is noticeable at a glance and which separates it immediately from the Great Black-backs), a bright yellow bill and a showy, large red mark on the lower mandible. The back color is noticeably less dark than the GBBG's but distinctly darker than the backs of the nearby adult Herring Gulls. What is nice about the Anacostia Park location at all times but an hour or so either side of high tide is that the birds are very close, the light is usually behind the observer, and they just sit there! There are several shallow areas, all right next to the park road, where gulls loaf when the tide is down. It's an excellent place for a student of gulls to go to see the various common species and plumages and I recommend it highly. e-mail me off-line if you need driving directions. Mike Bowen Bethesda, MD D.H. Michael Bowen 8609 Ewing Drive Bethesda MD 20817 (Montgomery County) Tel.: (301)530-5764 dhmbowen@yahoo.com _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================