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Subject:

lots of gulls today in pm at Jug Bay

From:

Jeff Shenot

Reply-To:

Jeff Shenot

Date:

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:05:42 -0500

This afternoon there were many gulls at Jug Bay when I arrived home from work.  I counted about 1,250 on the ice.  They were mostly adult Ring-billeds but also about 10-15 % Herring gulls of mixed ages.  Though distant, I scoped out a first winter Iceland Gull, and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, plus two adult and several immature Great Black-backed Gulls.  There was also a large flock (2,150) of R-billed andHerring gulls (about 50/50?) that was circling and mingling in the air over Jug Bay, but they did not land.  I suspect they were coming from the landfill (west of here), as they headed east (presumably for Ches. Bay to spend the night there).

Waterfowl were very low in diversity despite the new availability of mud flats and shallow water (it had been frozen and inaccessible for at least a week).  Many Black ducks (several hundred) were here and a few Mallards and Pimtails.

Tomorrow is the PG County mid-winter count, and I look forward to it.  We are actually having a winter now (the snow this week was the first time we have had any in two years) and the bird activity has been hectic at our feeders!  There are about 40 goldfinches and 6-10 siskins around, plus the usual feeder friends.

Cheers!
Jeff Shenot
Croom, MD