Re: Glaucous gull at Patuxent

lovewhales@ccconline.net
Sun, 03 Jan 1999 22:55:42 -0500


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