A good mix of common and rare gulls today. The adult LESSER-BLACK-BACKED
first discovered by M Patterson finally showed about 14:15 in the west
fields scoped from the N-S straightaway of Wireless Road just south of and
on the opposite roadside of the silo and barn combo. Also a first-cycle
GLAUCOUS GULL was in the same general area.
In the pasture NE of the NE corner turn on Wireless was an apparent
second-cycle KUMLIEN'S ICELAND GULL that was similarly structured to an
adult Thayer's immediately adjacent to it. The wingtips were white and the
mantle was very pale; it resembled a similarly aged Glaucous Gull in
general. There were lots of first-cycle Thayer's in the fields today for
general comparison of shades of light brown. The bill was pink at the base
and the mantle looked to be getting the icy frosted gray feathers that ages
it as second-cycle. The bird was too distance for eye color to be
determined. I hope it stays around for others with better optics to
photograph.
Shorebirds were conspicuous with good diversity (7 species) the rarer being
five Western Sandpipers with a flock of Dunlin.
A flock of 15 American Pipits were the first the winter season that I have
observed. By the gull barn/silo combo slough was a bright Orange-crowned
Warbler with a conspicuous orange crown patch--always a treat. An
unidentified warbler flew in and briefly landed atop the silo. It's call
reminded me more of Palm Warbler than Yellow-rumped, but it flew off before
I could get it in binocular view.
Cackling Geese were much more conspicuous than the group of 13 Greater
White-fronted Geese. Raptors included Peregrine Falcon and Red-shouldered
Hawk.
Seen by others today was the American Tree Sparrow west of the boat works
and the Rough-legged Hawk on Airport Hill between Fort Clatsop Rd. and
Costco.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S98894378
David
David C. Bailey
Seaside, Oregon
