Re: Thayer's Gull, Trumpeter Swans, at Conowingo

PObrien776@aol.com
Sun, 24 Jan 1999 11:28:28 EST


Rick,

On Thursday I got a reasonably good look at one of the swans below the dam,
and felt sure it was a Trumpeter.  The pink was in the center of the bill with
a black base, and it clearly had a distinctly V-shaped forehead.  There were
no bands on the legs.  Another swan was feeding near it among the rocks.  Its
bill also looked good, but I wasn't so convinced about the forehead shape.
There were two other swans swimming further back among the rocks, but I
couldn't get clean looks at them.  However, I had the impression that they
were slightly smaller than the other two I saw well.  The plot thickens. 

There were @ 5000 gulls lounging on the rocks, mostly Ring-billed, but there
was an adult Lesser on the wall with the GBBGs.

By the way, thanks for a New Jersey state bird.  I was coming back from seeing
the Solitaire when I stopped by Conowingo.  Do more Christmas Counts.

Paul
pobrien776@aol.com