[obol] Newport Marbeled Godwits & Heermann's Gull

[Shroyer, Loris Joline]

Saturday, Sept. 2, about noon, birding friends and I made our way along the
path on the SW shore of Yaquina Bay adjacent to the Hatfield Marine Science
Center.  On the sandy shore just a few hundred feet down the path from the
parking lot we found a large group of gulls, 3 Arctic Terns, and 3 Marbeled
Godwits.  Scanning the gull group we discovered one
gull-of-a-different-color, hunkered down with its head tucked.  Its gray was
a more solid, "gunmetal" gray than that of the surrounding gulls.  In a
moment it looked up and opened its mouth wide, revealing a brilliant scarlet
bill and gape, as bright as the bills of the terns!  Buoyed by our
references, we concluded it was a Heermann's Gull (a lifer for me).  The
surrounding gulls appeared to be California, Ring-Billed, and Westerns, with
a couple of Glaucous-Winged.

Wanted you all to know in case any of you "needs" a Heermann's Gull or a
Marbled Godwit "feather for your cap"!  (Oops!  Please note that this is
strictly figurative, not suggesting you risk the wrath of the bird police by
snatching free-fallen plumage . . .)

Joline Shroyer (E of Canby)