Re: FRANKLIN'S GULL AT HAVRE DE GRACE

Rob Hilton (robert@csa.com)
Mon, 12 Oct 1998 08:59:45 -0400


At 07:54 PM 10/10/98 -0400, rick wrote:
>        The Franklin's Gull returned to havre de Grace today at 4:30 p.m.,
>seen by two others and myself (they will post their own notes). Also
>present were 6 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS,  54 Laughing Gulls and 1
>BONAPARTE'S GULL (the 1st of the season). There were also 2 juvenile
>plumaged Ring-billed Gulls. Three of the Lessers were adults, one was third
>winter, 1 was 1st winter, and 1 was either 1st winter or 1st summer molting
>to 2nd winter but was not seen well enough to be certain. Virtually no
>birds were present before 3:00 p.m. By dusk there were over 1500 gulls and
>terns present. Anyone looking tomorrow should check early or late.

Hi, I'm the third observer.....Thanks Rick for spotting the Franklin's Gull
when I had all but stood up to leave, already an hour late.  I left my
notes at home, so I won't post them.  All those Lesser Black-backs were a
nice diversion while we were searching for the Franklin's Gull.  

The chief reason that no birds were present before 3 pm was that an adult
Bald Eagle had landed in the spot where the gulls hang out....and stayed
there for maybe 15 minutes.....

Best, 

Rob

Rob (Robert) Hilton--robert@csa.com--Bethesda, Maryland, USA

Lal Waterson 1943-1998
"and you wonder why when your heart has died that your feet go stumbling on"