[obol] Glaucous Gull-Washington County

[Norgren Family]

     There was a first year GLAUCOUS GULL
in the field immediately sw of the jct
of Hwy 6 and 47 at 2:30 today. A flock of
130 gulls caught my attention as I was en
route to pick up my children at school.
Luckily I had 20 min to spare and the third
bird I looked at was the white-winger. This
may be the same bird Blake saw at Fernhill
yeasterday. I saw that one between 3:30 and
3;50 yesterday; maybe we were there at the
same time. It was the grungiest 1st yr GLAUCOUS
I've ever seen, at least at a distance.
     I saw what was likely this bird at the
jct of Hwy 26 and 47 around two weeks ago,
a few days before Blake first saw a Glaucous
Gull at Fernhill Lake. An adult Thayer's Gull
was in the same flock that day(only 16 gulls
in the flock) with a dark smudge around its
eyes. The same bird was in today's flock.
Two weeks ago and today I was struck by the
crisp, dark marks on the GLAUCOUS GULL's folded
wings, reminiscent of Sibley's illustration of
a Herring X Glaucous hybrid. But its wingtips
were very white, and its breast an even light
brown.
      I thought there might be at least one
other Glaucous in the flock today, but it
kept flying up and landing like a flock of
Horned Larks. At 2:57 the whole flock took off
at once. Looking to the east I saw an adult
Bald Eagle approaching. Presumably one of the
pair nesting on this property. At this point
I was observing from Dierickx Lane, a paved
dead end that goes west along the south side
of the field. Traffic is light on this lane,
in sharp contrast to Hwy 47.
      Returning at 3:30 all 130 gulls had left.
Not surprising as they are typically on Fernhill
Lake by then. But returning at 4:30 there were
16 gulls back on the ground. I don't know if
they are using the spot regularly. The food
supply might be limited. This is the first
time I've ever seen a GLAUCOUS GULL in Washington
County. If it hadn't been for Blake's initial
postings and my sighting north of Banks two
weeks ago, I probably would have over-looked
yesterday's bird at Fernhill.  Lars Norgren