I didn't see the posting by Gail and Barry yesterday about Back River until 
just now.  However, I went to Back River this morning in a year-late 
response to their postings from last year.  I saw the same approx. 200 
basic-plumage Bonaparte's Gulls that they saw yesterday, on and around a 
dock on the west side of the river just below the bridge to Essex, but no 
Little Gulls there.  However, above the bridge there were several LGs, maybe 
as many as 10.  I am definitely gull-challenged, but most of the Little 
Gulls seemed to be first-winter - just one adult, with a full black hood. 
Didn't see the basic plumage adults that G&B reported.

Later the Little Gulls above the bridge were replaced by Ring-bills, a very 
aggressive bunch.  I saw 15-20 of them, along with a young Black-Backed, 
chase a Great Blue Heron downstream, then a minute later they chased a young 
eagle upstream.  The heron was hilarious - every time a gull got close, the 
heron tried to tuck its tail under its body.  But then it couldn't fly very 
well and lost altitude.  The eagle was more dignified, but wasn't wasting 
any time getting away.

About 15 cormorants, about half at Cox's Point.  Also, all the crows I heard 
sounded like Fish Crows.  (When do the young American Crows stop sounding 
like Fish Crows?)

    Bob Hartman
    Colesville, MD