Gulls in Bowie

Miliff@aol.com
Wed, 6 Jan 1999 23:31:25 EST


Hello all,

I had a great time enjoyng the large gull flock resting on the ice and bathing
in the little bit of open water at Patuxent NWR Visitor's Center today.  I was
joined at various points by George Jett,  Tom Harten, Arlene Ripley, and Les
Roslund.  Highlights were 1 1st winter Iceland, 2 1st winter Glaucous, and at
least 3 ad. Lesser Black-backed Gulls.  Also 26 Rusty Blackbirds and an
aparent Blue x Canada Goose with a flock of 100 or so Canadas.  S rare an
experience to enjoy the gulls so easily from inside, where the temperature
remained well above freezing and wind chill was negligable.

I did not spend all my time at the Visitors Center though, and found myself
wandering around a bit.  One discovery is worthy of mention I
think...Redington Lake is not the only one hosting sizable gull flocks.  Phil
Davis and Dave Mozurkovich have already posted reports of good gulls on other
akes in the Bowie area.  I had a single Glaucous with several hundred gulls on
a frozen pond off Rte. 564 south of the landfill, and another set of several
hundred gulls on another (mostly) frozen pond off Prospect Hill Rd..  Among
them were 1 ad. and two first-winter Lesser Black-backeds. Neither pond was on
my DeLorme atlas.  I thought it worthy of mention so that when Gail find her
Slaty-backed :-) at the pond, and we all chase it to hear it has just flown
:-( we can go check these other ponds and find it again even closer and in
better light :-) :-) :-).  I can post better directions when the time
comes...I don't have my map handy right now.

Also of interest was the fact that I had two more 1st winter Lessers today.
After seeing NONE last winter, I am shocked each time I see one this winter.

Good birding,

Marshall Iliff
miliff@aol.com