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Subject:

Iceland Gull

From:

Fred Shaffer

Reply-To:

Fred Shaffer

Date:

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:08:57 -0500

I searched through a large group of gulls at Schoolhouse Pond early this afternoon.  Diversity was pretty low, but numbers were up again now that a little ice is forming along the back edge of the pond.  The highlight was the 1st winter Iceland Gull, which I believe to be the same gull that  I've been seeing off and on over the last three weeks at the pond.  The bird stayed largely to the rear of the group, either on some ice or swimming in the water.  Also present were approximately 1,300 Ring-billed Gulls and 13 Herring Gulls.  

As noted by others, there have been incredible numbers of Canada Geese at the pond this week, particularly early in the morning and I've had 3 or 4 Cackling Geese on several mornings over the last few days.  However, I did not spot them today.  Other highlights from the past week included two Hooded Mergansers, a few Ring-necked Ducks, a pair of Gadwall, and several groups of flyover Common Mergansers.

Fred Shaffer

Crofton, MD