I visited Lapidum and Port Deposit on the Susquehanna River this morning with Debbie Terry and Joel Martin.  We started at Lapidum at about 8:40.  There were no gulls here at that time.  A few Bonaparte's were in the middle of the river and about one hundred were visible on the opposite side at Port Deposit.  Gulls were flying upriver and drifting down.  Joel spotted a Little Gull in winter plumage flying upriver and we watched it closely with scopes before it landed in the river and disappeared in the flock.  Mark England drove up.  Since there was no further activity we decided to go to the other side and drove around to Port Deposit.  We saw another Little Gull from here.  It was in the middle of the river and flying downstream and appeared to be in near breeding plumage.  Mark called and said that the Black-headed Gull had just been seen from Lapidum and flew upriver on that side.  We located it later on the water at least a mile upstream from our vantage point.  It was a breeding plumage bird and was feeding below the rapids, drifting downstream a short distance and flying back upstream to land in the river again.  About an hour later it moved closer to us and we watched it from perhaps less than a half mile for a while before it flew upstream again.  During this period it stayed on the Cecil side of the river between the islands upstream.  There were at least 400 Bonaparte's Gulls present by this time.  The Red-necked Grebe was also present, mostly in the vicinity of the Port Deposit marina.  We departed about 11:30.
   Waterfowl on the river were 2 Wood Ducks and 4 Common Mergansers seen upriver from Lapidum.  One Coot was in the Port Deposit marina.
   If you look for these gulls be persistent.  You may get lucky, drive up and find the birds there, or you may look for hours before seeing the good birds.
   Thanks to Joel and Debbie for spotting these birds for me.

Bob Ringler
Eldersburg MD