On Saturday, June 23, 2007, Ralph Cullison and I had a simply marvelous day on Hart-Miller Island - 8 species of gulls, 6 species of terns, and the finding of species #286 for the island.

The gulls included Laughing Gull, 1st-summer FRANKLIN'S GULL, 1st-summer LITTLE GULL, Bonaparte's Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, 1st-summer LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, and Great Black-backed Gull.

The terns included GULL-BILLED TERN, Caspian Tern, ROYAL TERN, Forster's Tern, Least Tern, and BLACK SKIMMER.

Twelve of the fourteen species of gulls and terns occurred on the same mudflat in the North Cell.  At one point, you could observe Gull-billed, Caspian, Royal, Forster's, and Black Skimmer in the same scope field.  At another point, we had Franklin's Gull, Little Gull, and Gull-billed Tern in the same scope field.  The vision was a bit surreal.  The birds never flushed from the mudflat and were observed for and hour and a half and photographed by Ralph.

Species #286 for Hart-Miller Island has been long overdue.  We observed a BROWN PELICAN sitting with numerous Double-crested Cormorants and Great Black-backed Gulls on one of the dredge material barges tethered next to the island.

Full day's report to follow later.

Gene

Gene Scarpulla
Millers Island, Maryland