I walked down to Hains Point after work to look for the Franklin's Gull.  I 
reached East Potomac Park a little after 6:00.  On my circuit of the point I 
watched a Bald Eagle grab a fish out of the channel and get mobbed by 
several crows.  I only saw a few gulls on my walk down the channel side.  
Working my way back up the Potomac side, I walked the grassy margin 
between the road and the golf course.  Right about where the road was 
submerged, I spied through a break in the brush a large flock of gulls sitting on 
the golf course.  After scanning the flock for a while and picking out four 
Bonaparte's Gulls and the Common Tern, I finally found the adult FRANKLIN'S 
GULL at 6:40.  It was initially facing away from me giving me a good view of 
the dark back and the black and white wingtips.  It would occasionally turn it's 
head, showing the very prominent broken eye ring and straight red bill.  After 
studying if for five or ten minutes, the whole flock flushed and I noted the 
very light underside of the wings.  I found the flock again further north on the 
golf course but could not refind the Franklin's despite two other birder's joining 
in the hunt.  I did manage to find a GLOSSY IBIS on the golf course and 
WOODCOCK along the fence while searching and another birder reported 
seeing a WILSON'S WARBLER, but I couldn't relocate it.

Thanks to all those that have been reporting these great DC rarities!

Max Wilson
Kensington, Montgomery County, MD
mercretas AT hotmail.com