I sorted through the gulls on the ice of Schoolhouse Pond at lunchtime today (Jan. 6).  Highlights of my rather frigid and blustery count included one 1st winter Iceland Gull (Kumlien's) and a very pale second winter bird that looked good for a possible "Nelson's" Gull (Glaucous x Herring hybrid).  Both birds were perched on the ice near one of the remaining areas of open water.  The possible "Nelson's" Gull was very pale overall with some gray coming in on the mantle.  The bird had creamy tan coverts and tertials, pink-black tipped bill, and medium brown primaries with lighter edges.  The coverts and the tertials were pale and relatively uniform in color and shade making the primaries the only darker portion of the plumage.  Other birds included 468 Ring-billed Gulls and 49 Herring Gulls. 

I should also point out that there were tremendous numbers of gulls yesterday at the pond.  A rough, preliminary count was over 1,500 Ring-billed and Herring Gulls, but the birds flushed before I could look at them in more detail.

Fred Shaffer
Crofton, MD