St. Mary's County, MD, Kelp Gull (YES) Update 5/9/99

Jane Kostenko (jkostenko@somd.lib.md.us)
Sun, 9 May 1999 11:01:39 -0400


    Greg Miller, Tyler Bell, and I were just at the Sea Breeze Restaurant,
Sunday, May 9, 1999. We were just about to leave (no gull) when Greg saw it
fly in from over the woods behind the Sea Breeze (go figure). It preened and
posed on the pier for five (5) minutes, gave several squawks, and flew off
upriver. The restaurant owner said the gull was there, briefly, earlier this
morning as well.
    The following updates from the past week are secondhand: A birder told
the restaurant staff that he had had the Kelp Gull at 9 a.m. on Monday, May
3, briefly, and not again that morning. I've called the restaurant daily and
been told the gull was not there. However, when I called on Saturday, May 8,
I was told the gull had been seen "two days ago," which would be Thursday,
May 6, but Greg and Kyle Rambo had stopped at the Sea Breeze during May
Count yesterday (no gull) and were told the bird was seen on Wednesday, May
5.
    In short, the Kelp Gull is still around, though it's appearances are
very sporadic. Reliable word on sightings is getting harder to come by from
the over-worked Sea Breeze staff, since they're entering their busy season,
plus have new staff employed who aren't as familiar with the gull.

Jane Kostenko
jkostenko@somd.lib.md.us
California, Maryland

Yesterday is history; tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift. That's why they call it the PRESENT.