Re: Slaty-backed Gull at Conowingo--Friday morning

Thomas Stock (TSTOCK@FMSHRC.GOV)
Fri, 12 Feb 1999 12:41:19 -0500


I saw the Slaty-backed Gull, too.  It was last seen sitting at around 
9:15 am near a second winter Iceland Gull - I left at 9:30 am.  Norm 
wrote:  >>>Thanks to all who helped us get on this intriguing and 
confusing bird.>>>

Amen to that!  

I would also add that it really is a ocnfusing bird, especially from a 
great distance.  Another birder and I first mistook it for a problematic
Lesser Black-backed (no clear leg color visible) from the parking lot
viewing area.  From the catwalk, however, the bird's legs were 
clearly a pinkish flesh color.  This characteristic was even more
evident when I was able to follow the bird in flight.  At times, it
got very close to the catwalk, and I could even see the white
tongues on the P6, P7 and P8 primaries, albeit only as brief flashes.

So my advice to those going this weekend would be to go straight 
to the catwalk.  I would also suggest that those that have it would
be well advised to look at their August 1994 issue of Birding, which
contains an article on Slaty-backed identification I found quite 
useful (Adult Slaty-backed Gulls: Variability in Mantle Color and
Comments on Identification, Mary Gustafson and Bruce 
Peterjohn, page 243-49).  The bird I saw today most closely
resembled the bird pictured in Figure 5, with maybe a hint more
streaking on the head than in the picture.  The bird's legs were as 
pink, though a bit darker, as those of the bird in Figure 2.

Good luck to all and thanks again to all who found this great
bird.  Now, I'd like to hear from some of the folks who know how
many records there are for this species in this area.  Is this a first
for Maryland?

Tom Stock
Silver Spring