Slaty-backed Gull (?) at Conwingo

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        Today Dave Czaplak, Mary Ann Todd, and I watched a bird that showed
all the characters of an adult Slaty-backed Gull at the base of Conowingo
Dam. The pattern of the primaries, including the tongues on primaries 10,
9, and 8 were fairly typical for Slaty-backed. The bird was slightly darker
than the adult California Gull in the same scope field and had a large
white tertial crescent and white scapular crescents. The legs were dark
pink-red. Size was at the large end of Herring Gull.
        Also present were 3+ adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a 1st winter
Thayer's Gull, and a 3rd winter Iceland Gull.
        We watched the bird that appears to be a Slaty-backed for more than
two hours bathing and preening and sleeping in good light and at moderately
close range. It was seen briefly in flight but the underwing was well
observed while the bird was preening and stretching.

Rick

"A great many people now reading and writing would be better employed
keeping rabbits." Edith Sitwell


Rick Blom
rblom@blazie.com
4318 Cowan Place
Belcamp, Maryland 21017
(410)575-6086

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