[SBB] Baylands today -- Thayer's, etc.

["Tom Grey" <[[email protected]]>]

There was a first winter (by now I guess first summer) THAYER'S GULL at
Baylands today. At least I think that's what it is, being often wrong about
immature gulls. I don't know whether this is unusually late for one still
to be here. At the Duck Pond it showed off that Thayer's thing with the
primaries dark above but light below.
http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/image/42769770

Earlier I'd seen this gull out by the boat launch, where it flashed its
bubble-gum-pink legs.
http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/image/42769763

Also out by the boat launch on the falling tide this morning, a Long-billed
Dowitcher flew in and "keeked" near a scattering of Shortbills -- they
"tu-tu-tu-ed"  back and tried to chase it off, unsuccessfully. Here's the
bright LB with the field marks to go with the call: no primary extension,
scapulars with strong rufous bars and white linings, red base color over
the entire underparts, bars rather than spots on the side of the breast.
Notice some winter feathers still left on this one.
http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/image/42769776

An unhappy sight was an adult BONAPARTE'S GULL with an injured wing near
the Duck Pond.
http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/image/42776850

A much happier sight was  MIKE DANZENBAKER snapping away with his camera
and 500mm lens on a rifle stock -- always a good omen for bird photography
fans.

As everyone knows who's  been at Baylands recently, the rookery is in full
swing: lots of territorial jostling, head pumping, and strange cries.
Here's one Snowy who is really hot to trot. Uh dude -- orange and red don't
go that well together.
http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/image/42769797

These pictures plus some others from a visit to Arastradero yesterday
(Ash-throated Flycatcher, Tree and  VG Swallows, Thrasher, Bluebird) all up
on http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/latest.

Tom Grey





Thomas C. Grey
Sweitzer Professor of Law
Stanford Law School
[[email protected]]


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