I was surprised this afternoon to discover a flock of at 
least 100 LAUGHING GULLS, from juvenile to full adult, 
hunting insects over the agricultural field between Seven 
Springs Village and Paint Branch Stream Valley Park, just 
off Cherry Hill Rd in College Park (PG County).  I've only 
ever seen Ring-billed Gulls around here before.  They're 
certainly far from any shoreline.  I'm not skilled enough to 
know if there were any Franklin's Gulls mixed in with the 
flock (is that likely?).

Also present: a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK.  We also have a 
Domestic Mallard (all white with yellow bill) that appears 
to have taken up residence outside our apartment!  It sticks 
close to the building wall and I think reacts occasionally 
to its reflection in the low windows...

D

-- 
Derek C. Richardson, Ph.D. (CANTAB) ________
Astronomy, U Maryland, College Park MD 20742
Tel: Office 301-405-8786 Fax 301-314-9067 __
Home page: http://www.astro.umd.edu/~dcr/ __