Just as an FYI, gulls have returned in big numbers to Schoolhouse Pond this week.  There have been large groups on the water both today and yesterday, with the majority of the birds being Laughing Gulls.  Although I haven't spotted anything unusual yet, it is encouraging that there are such large numbers this early in the fall.  Last fall, I believe that my high count for Laughing Gulls was just over 700.  There have been over 1,000 Laughing Gulls present each of the last two days.  Totals from the last two days include:

October 20 - 1,185 Laughing Gulls, 59 Ring-billed Gulls, and 2 Herring Gulls
October 21 - 1,088 Laughing Gulls, 49 Ring-billed Gulls, and 4 Herring Gulls

With numbers this big, the gull flock at the pond certainly bears watching, and hopefully some unusual gulls will turn up in the upcoming weeks.  Other birds present included a female Northern Pintail, Wood Ducks, Northern Shovelers, 5 Double-crested Cormorants, a flyover Bald Eagle (early this morning).  Also, at lunchtime a group of 400+ Canada Geese dropped in noisily at the pond, but nothing unusual was mixed in with them either.  

Fred Shaffer
Patuxent MOS