Last eve I found a Franklin's Gull at PG Community College in Largo.  It was with about 400 gulls composed of nearly all Laughers (mostly adults), and a small # of Ringers and Herrings.  I was taking my kids to swim practice, and noticed a big gull flock feeding at an athletic field, right after a very heavy rain.  I dropped my kids off at the pool and then went back to the flock to look.  The flock was a mix of resting birds and birds actively feeding on worms and insects.  I went through them all with a scope, trying to look carefully at each bird.  Despite a very careful effort, after several passes I failed to find anything uncommon.  After about 20 minutes they began to get up and leave, in singles or small groups.  I had time, so I kept looking and am glad I did!

After about 250-300 birds had left, the remaining birds were less crowded and very easy to get good views of each.  Once I finally saw it I noticed the bird was different, and since I had seen one earlier in the year (found by Matt H at Tydings), I knew what to look for.  It was very active and never stood still, so I could only get crappy video shot on my phone through my scope, and the pics are awful due to poor light and the birds constant motion!  It was so late in the day when I first noticed the bird (~6:50pm) that I didn't bother trying to call anyone.  I watched it for about 15 minutes before it left (by itself, unspooked).

I sent a pic and video clip to a couple folks to confirm id, and got a positive reply.  It has a partial (but very apparent) hood, smaller build than the Laughers (this was hard to see unless directly next to one), very prominent white dots in the primaries, a prominent eye ring, smaller bill (again, hard to see unless comparing to a close Laugher), and also I think it walks different.  It seems to have quicker steps and bobs its head a lot, like a pigeon or gallinaceous bird.  The only time I saw its wings was when it lifted them to fly, and fortunately I got some video of it then and I could see the white bar across the primaries.

I have no idea if this field has birds in it on any predictable basis.  It was right after a heavy rain which I think brought food to surface for them to feed on.  It was not far from the PG County landfill (Brown Station Rd), which is where all of the birds were heading toward when they departed.  And it is not far from Upper Marlboro (Schoolhouse Pond, Depot Ponds, Jug Bay etc.), where Laughers and other gulls are known to congregate.  So it is very possible that it may be refound somewhere in the vicinity, although I won't be spending time looking for it specifically.  Unless there happens to be a flock of Laughers on the river behind our house, of course!

Cheers!
Jeff Shenot
Croom MD

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