Craig E Tumer wrote: > > Hi all! > > Today I travelled to the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center to look for > the assortment of gulls that was reported there yesterday. I arrived > there just after 11:00. There were approximately 500 gulls when I > arrived, and a steady stream of gulls was continuously arriving and > departing throughout the time I was there (about an hour). Soon after > arriving I spotted a 1st winter lesser black-backed gull (but no glaucous > or Iceland gulls) among the other, more common species. I went inside to > check out the gift shop, and when I returned, almost immediately, I > spotted a first winter glaucous gull bathing at the edge of the ice (I > new something good would show up if I left!). I got excellent views of > this gull for about 10 to 15 minutes before something (probably an eagle) > spooked the flock of gulls into flight. A few gulls returned to rest on > the ice, but not the glaucous. > > What a cozy place to set up a scope and study gulls! > > Craig Tumer > OgrtSkua@juno.com > Washington, DC > >Hi Craig Wish I knew that you were in search of the Iceland and Glaucous gulls. I arrived at the Refuge about 11:50 a.m. and stayed until about 1:30 but never found them (of course, I may have seen them but not realized what I saw!). Was at the observation window--nice cozy place to watch from. Met two others (Arlene and Jack) who seemed to be looking for them also but a red-tailed hawk flew over and everything dispursed. Sorry I missed you. Would have loved to add them to my life list. Will try again........ Janelle Dietrich Bowie, MD lovewhales@ccconline.net