Dear All

Greg Butcher and I did a quick banzai run round the Anacostia over lunch today.  We did not score with Peter Vankovich's excellent gull find yesterday but it could easily be still there and further searches are to be encouraged.  However, there is a large group of Laughing Gulls there, at least 2,500 probably more, loafing on the river, bathing on the shingly, sandy bank on the Anacostia Park side of the river, upstream of the 11th St Bridge, and roosting up on the stanchions and catwalks of the various boatyards on the opposite bank.

We worked the area quickly but extensively starting at the Community Boatyard area where there were about 600 Laughing Gulls, and then upstream on the western bank, running up to the area where the railway runs along and crosses the river.  There were at least 1500 Laughers roosted up in that area, with 10 or so Forster's Terns there too.  We then crossed over to the Anacostia Park and looked north of the 11th St /295  bridge where there were 800+ Laughing Gulls.

All to no avail, not so much as a sniff of a ridibundus, but there are clearly lots of gulls coming and going so it's well worth another try.

Cheers

Gary Allport

Gallport   Audubon  org