Gulls at Solomons

Gregory B Miller (gregorym@erols.com)
Thu, 22 Jan 1998 08:11:50 -0500


Joe,

Like Norm said, Solomons is small.  Here are more specific directions:

	- take Route 2-4 South to Solomons
	- take the exit for 2 South (this curves under the bridge and comes to
a stop)
	- turn left toward the Marine Museum
	- make an immediate right again (at the Museum--this is Route 2)
	- follow 2 all the way to the end (it's a T intersection--if you look
right, you should be able to see the CBL Pier jutting out into the
Patuxent)
	- you can either park to the left or go down to the Chesapeake
Biological Lab and park in front (off the side of the road, of course)

The Lesser Black-backed Gull was mixing with Herring Gulls in the water
next to the pier (later perched on the pier again, affording good
views).  Check the Patuxent River for other birds, too.  Further out,
you should see large rafts of Oldsquaw, good numbers of Goldeneye (this
area of the Patuxent has had Barrow's Goldeneye the last two winters),
Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup (sometimes Greater), Canvasback, Red-breasted
Mergansers, Horned Grebes, and Common Loons.

Other stops in Solomons (while you're there) should include:

	1) coming into Solomons, park at or near The Sandpiper.  There is a
small pier behind it that sometimes has a fair number of gulls.  Across
the road (near the church) is a small area that has a few feral geese. 
This area almost always has Coots (if you still need them for your year
or Calvert County list).  It also usually has a few gulls.  This area
should be checked for winter Laughing Gulls (always a possibility).

	2) check the water across the road from China Harbor restaurant.  This
area holds a lot of the boats on the island.  There are often many gulls
here, too.  Many times, there are some diving ducks up close like
Goldeneyes, Buffleheads, and Red-breasted Mergansers.  You should also
look for Pied-billed Grebes.