Kelp Gull "Logistics" Update
Phil Davis (pdavis@ix.netcom.com)
Mon, 15 Feb 1999 22:51:58 -0500
In this message, let me treat the logistics, rather than the ID ...
Date: Monday, February 15, 1999
Location: The bird is south of Mechanicsville, Maryland (St. Mary's County).
Directions: From the Washington, DC beltway follow Route 5 South to the
town of Waldorf. From north (Baltimore) or east (Annapolis), take US 301
South to Waldorf. Routes 5 and 301 converge just before Waldorf.
Just as you enter Waldorf, follow Route 5 where it turns left (this is a
new bypass around the Waldorf business district--for the locals and old
timers, the bypass used to be named Rt 205). Continue to follow Rt 5
(including where it turns left again at a traffic light). About 20 miles
south of Waldorf, Rt 5 makes a right turn, however the main 2-lane road
continues straight and becomes Rt 235. Continue on Rt 235. Approximately
4 1/2 miles south of this point, turn left onto Route 472 (Sandgates Road).
Follow Rt 472 for about 2 1/2 miles until you come to the (Patuxent)
river. You will see two restaurants, the Sandgates Inn and the Seabreeze
Restaurant and Crab House. This is where the gull has been. These
restaurants have reasonably-sized parking lots (at least the Sandgates' is
fairly large). Since it's winter, I expect restaurant traffic will be
fairly light.
I arrived at the location around 2:15 pm. About a dozen birders were present.
When I saw the gull, it was sitting on a piling behind the Seabreeze.
(There are even benches to sit on!) Michael O'Brien's report from this
morning indicated it was behind the Sandgate Inn.
There were about 30 other gulls around, a few Greater Black-backeds, some
Herrings, and Ring-billeds.
The Kelp Gull spent most of it's time sitting on top of the pilings on the
right side of the fishing pier that extends behind the Seabreeze.
Occasionally, it would stand up and stretch. Sometimes it would fly in
closer to the restaurant, to a shorter pier on the right of the Seabreeze.
The distance to the bird varied from about 40 yards to about 25 feet.
The sun is over your shoulder in the afternoon providing full light on the
bird.
The bird was first seen back in January (I believe) when it was thought to
be an Intermedius Lesser Black-backed. Our St Mary's County birders can
fill in these dates. I think I heard that it disappeared from the area for
a while, before it (recently?) returned. It appears to be wintering.
The bird is very cooperative and seems to somewhat have acclimated to
people. It flies in when someone throws out some chum. It doesn't allow
too close of an approach, however. About 25 feet seemed to be tops, and
that was when food was presented. It flew down to the water and swam to
get the food.
It preens much and drops small feathers occasionally. Mark Hoffman
retrieved one from the river (for DNA analysis?). Mary Ann Todd, suggested
bringing a spoon and baggies to try to gather some of it's droppings.
(However, it usually takes it's "dumps" over the pilings and into the water).
The restaurant food smelled great at the Seabreeze, but dinner (crab cakes)
were average--not bad, though. It offers sandwiches, soups, pizza, and
dinners ($11.95 - $17.95). I must have hit it at shift change--the service
was VERY slow. It took me from 4:30 to 5:45 to get dinner. However, I had
a seat by the river window and got to watch the bird the entire time !!! I
do recommend patronizing the local businesses !!!
Some of the birders present included: Tyler Bell, Jane Kostenko, Kyle
Rambo, Bob Boxwell, Mark and Amy Hoffman, Dave Czaplak, Mary Ann Todd,
Ottavio Janni, Greg Miller, George Jett. Rob Hilton. By 3:30 all had left
except Mark and Amy Hoffman--who left around 4pm after Mark got a good
close set of photos while a local was "feeding" the gulls. It was weird to
be left there alone, with such as potentially great bird !!! The bird
always stayed in the piling area except for a 30 minute period while I
eating, from 4:45 - 5:15 pm. During this time, I couldn't see it at its
usually roosts from my vantage in the restaurant. It returned into view at
5:15 and 30 minutes later (when there were only a handful of gulls left),
it took flight and headed up the river, on the St. Mary's County side.
Hope this helps people with the "logistics" or chasing this bird.
Phil
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Phil Davis
home: PDavis@ix.netcom.com Davidsonville, Maryland USA
work: PDavis@OAO.com Greenbelt, Maryland USA
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