When I got home this evening, I watched the river from my house about 6:15 
to 7:00, mostly looking toward the mouth of Western Branch and Billingsley 
Marsh.  Note: This area is best viewed from Mt Calvert in the afternoon 
due to the sun angle, but it's closed at 6PM.  While binoculars may be 
enough if the birds are near the shore, sometimes they are not close and a 
scope is highly recommended.  The area can also be viewed from the AA side 
at Jug Bay Wetland Sanctuary, also best with a scope.  But they are not 
open to the public everyday, and I think they normally close at 5PM when 
they are open.  You can call to check.

There were about 200 laughing gulls present, with about 30 ringers and a 
few herrings among them.  There was also 3 Caspian terns, 2 GBB gulls, and 
one MYSTERY gull that I hate to even mention without being certain, and I 
can't be certain, BUT, I think it was an adult Little Gull in transitional 
plumage.  I did not get any documentation.  At the time, all I had was a 
scope and the bird was only seen swimming.  I wish it would have flown or 
strecthed its wings and then I could be certain.  It was swimming on the 
edge of the Laughers, mostly on the far side of the birds that were in the 
main channel.  There were many gulls on shore, but the mystery bird stayed 
in the water and I only saw it from that angle.

The bird was about 2/3 of a ringer in size, and was obviously quite 
small.  It was very pale on the back and upper wings (the only view I had) 
with a pure white tail.  I could see no trace of black anywhere except on 
the head.  It had a small, thin, dark bill.  I did not have a book with me 
then, but looked at one as soon as I got home (Olsen and Larsson Gulls of 
N.A. etc.), and it was very much like plate 758, except the skull cap was 
darker, with a distinct visible edge angling upward right behind the eye.  

The weather was calm and viewing conditions were perfect, though distant.  
The gull was often obstructed by the birds swimming around in front of it, 
but I got clear views often enough to risk mentioning it here!  I could 
easily be wrong; I've never seen one before.  I've seen Bonies twice in 
the last week and this gull just seemed different... sometimes Bonies are 
easy to recognize by their sitting profile, but this bird looked 
different - it held its bill level and the wings did not appear to stick 
up very high (seemed short).  I will try to get off work earier tomorrow 
and get another look.  If anyone else is in the area tomorrow afternoon, 
look among the gulls that park there daily.

PS - I had a great consolation prize; a lone glossy ibis that wanted to 
land on a mud flat near the gulls, but it got chased around by a ring-
billed gull.  The chase was rather insane, as if the gull were going to 
kill the poor ibis if it could catch it.  The ibis never landed, and 
eventually the gull gave up chasing when the ibis headed up Western 
Branch.  The ibis was 2006 species number 100 for me here.

Cheers-
Jeff Shenot
Croom MD