[Birdtalk] Glaucous Gull - Kay Lee Ponds, Saturday, 13 Jan 2007

[STEPHEN T CARLILE]

This morning, 10:00 a.m., Saturday, 12 Jan 2007, I observed for about one hour a juvenile Glaucous Gull.  I believe this bird was reported earlier last week.  A big bird, larger than a Herring.  (There were some Herring Gulls right next to the Glaucous.)  It was very cooperative resting on the ice, in the water, and stretching/flapping its wings.  Lots of good looks, showing the diagnostic identification points.  It was with several thousand other gulls on the ice surrounding the last open water on the main pond.  It was pretty easy to pick out from the other gulls; big and pale, almost all white. I spotted it within a few minutes of setting up my scope.  Other gulls seen included California, Ring-billed, Herring, and Thayer's.  I looked for the Western and Lesser Black-backed, but could not find them.  However, they could have been there because the gulls were very tightly packed on the ice and after a while began to be a bit of a blur.

I also saw Canada Geese (100+), Common Goldeneye (12+), Gadwall, Canvasback (50+), Pintail (24+), Ruddy Duck, Mallard, Coot, Raven, Meadowlark, Magpie, American Kestrel, Brewer's Blackbird, and European Starling.  Cold (15 degrees), but with no wind was not a bad hour spent.

Thanks,

Stephen



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