Re: Slaty-backed Gull in MD update
Miliff@aol.com
Mon, 8 Feb 1999 22:48:23 EST
Hello all,
I thought I could add a bit to Gail's summary of today's (2/8) events at
Conowingo. Hal Wierenga, George Armistead, Matt Sharp, Elliot Kirschbaum,
myself and a couple others stuck it out for the rest of the day and did see
the Slaty-backed again. Hal refound the bird at about 4:15 near the "rock
with the big log" (just right of the wall when viewed from the end of the
catwalk). We watched it on the rocks on the far side until about 5:15 when
the gulls took flight and the Slaty-back headed downriver. Hal watched it
until it was almost over Havre de Grace - it was still rising and joined a
kettle of other gulls...
In both the morning and evening the bird was bathing and preening almost
constantly. Since it has not been seen at all between 10:00 am and 3:00 or
4:00 pm (to my knowledge...) perhaps Conowingo is a morning and evening stop
for this bird. Perhaps it just stops here to bathe and preen on its way to and
from its feeding area. Although, I understand, it was feeding off the catwalk
on Saturday.
No photos were taken so if anyone has any chance to document this bird on film
PLEASE PLEASE do not hesitate to do so. Try especially for spread wing shots.
I'm not sure if the California Gulls ave been photographed yet or not (and it
is Records Committee review species still). I am thinking I may try again
early tomorrow morning, but do not plan to maintain a day-long vigil again.
Despite all its stretching and preening, I never got a good enough look at the
primaries.
Both Californias, the first-winter Thayer's, and at least one Iceland were
visible all day. I never saw the Glaucous. George Armistead was the only one
to get both Glaucous and Bonaparte's today and now holds the one-day Conowingo
record of 10 species.
I second Rick's notion though, that we have not seen everything out there
yet...
Best,
Marshall Iliff
miliff@aol.com