(Fwd) California Gull in DC
Norm Saunders (osprey@ARI.Net)
Sun, 17 Jan 1999 20:50:35 -0500
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date sent: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 19:10:58 -0500
Subject: California Gull in DC
From: "Paolo Janni" <pjanni@earthlink.net>
To: osprey@ari.net
Copies to: voice@capaccess.org
Hi Norm,
Would it be possible for you to forward this to MDOsprey, as I am not
subscribed? Thanks,
Ottavio Janni
I had an adult California Gull at the Tidal Basin in DC today (Sat. 16
Jan.) between 4:15 and 5:35 PM, in with a large flock of 2000-3000 gulls.
The Tidal Basin is currently frozen and good numbers of gulls are coming
in to roost in the evening. As the Cal Gull was still present at 5:35
when it was getting dark there is a chance it will still be around early
tomorrow morning.
Description: Size in between Herring and Ring-bill (body size
approximately 80% of that of Herring). Mantle slightly darker gray than
that of the nearby Herrings and Ring-bills (somewhat comparable to the
Yellow-legged Gull that spent several winters at Georgetown reservoir),
with conspicous scapular and tertial crescents (much more than on a
Ring-bill). Underparts and tail pure white, head fairly white with
streaking concentrated on back of neck and nape, giving hint of
"half-collar" effect that many California Gulls (and some Herrings) show.
The head was fairly smoothly rounded, the bill was slightly shorter and
thinner than on a typical Herring, yellow with a red spot at the gonys,
and adjacent black spot on the lower mandible extending slightly unto the
upper mandible. The legs were dull greenish yellow (similar to those of
many Ring-bills, quite different from the pink legs of adult Herrings).
This is the 4th California Gull record for DC. Also at the Tidal Basin
were 3-4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. The pond at Patuxent this morning
had
2 first-year Iceland and 1 1st-year Glaucous Gull, as well as a small
flock of Rusty Blackbirds. I made a brief stop at the LBJ grove this PM
as well and saw one Orange-crowned Warbler.
Ottavio Janni
===============
Norm Saunders
Colesville, MD
osprey@ari.net