Slaty-backed Gull

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Posted by Paul Bithorn on September 28, 2002 at 23:19:16:

Kevin Sarsfield, Juan Villamil, Bill Boeringer, Bruce Purdy and I headed
down to Higgs Beach in Key West at 5:00 a.m Saturday, September 28, 2002, in
search of the Slaty-backed Gull. We would not be disappointed.

Arriving at the beach at 8:00 a.m.we searched the immediate area for 2 1/2
hours before the Slaty-backed Gull fairy appeared in the form of Nancy
Hedden, wife of Mark Hedden, who along with Gerard Phillips, discovered the
bird Saturday, September 21, 2002 during the Fall Migration Count. Thanks
Gerard, Mark and Nancy.

She began to describe what to look for and the bird's feeding habits, when
poof........it immediately flew in and ran up to us within 7 or 8 feet. Doug
Santoni, another Miami birder, had left us with three loaves of Wonder
Bread, while he left for breakfast, so we proceeded to feed the apparently
hungry gull. He would eat a couple of chunks of bread and run back to the
water for a drink. Luckily Doug showed up in time to see this Asiatic
vagrant, which is about one and a half times the size of the Laughing Gulls
that you will find loafing on the beach.

We then birded in Indigenous Park across the street and discovered a
mini-fallout which included:

Wilson's Warbler
Yellow-Throated Warbler
Cape May Warbler
American Redstart
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Magnolia Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Palm Warbler
Eastern Peewee
Red-eyed Vireo

After a celebratory libation of Harp's Lager at Mulcahy's Pub on Duval
Street, we headed over to the Key West Botanical Garden on Stock Island.
Here we would add:

Ovenbird
Northern Parula
Worm-eating Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Swainson's Thrush
Scarlet Tanager
White-crowned Pigeon

After a lunch of grouper sandwiches and conch fritters, washed down with No
Name Ale at the No Name Pub on No Name Key, we headed back, but not before
seeing an endangered six-point Key West White-tailed Deer and a Reddish
Egret (White Phase). Life is good..............especially when seeing a once
in a lifetime bird (390 in Florida-10 to go)with good friends.

P.S. Terry Doyle and a buddy of his from Naples showed up at Higgs Beach
before we left and saw the gull out on the pilings.

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: Kevin Sarsfield, Juan Villamil, Bill Boeringer, Bruce Purdy and I headed : down to Higgs Beach in Key West at 5:00 a.m Saturday, September 28, 2002, in : search of the Slaty-backed Gull. We would not be disappointed. : Arriving at the beach at 8:00 a.m.we searched the immediate area for 2 1/2 : hours before the Slaty-backed Gull fairy appeared in the form of Nancy : Hedden, wife of Mark Hedden, who along with Gerard Phillips, discovered the : bird Saturday, September 21, 2002 during the Fall Migration Count. Thanks : Gerard, Mark and Nancy. : She began to describe what to look for and the bird's feeding habits, when : poof........it immediately flew in and ran up to us within 7 or 8 feet. Doug : Santoni, another Miami birder, had left us with three loaves of Wonder : Bread, while he left for breakfast, so we proceeded to feed the apparently : hungry gull. He would eat a couple of chunks of bread and run back to the : water for a drink. Luckily Doug showed up in time to see this Asiatic : vagrant, which is about one and a half times the size of the Laughing Gulls : that you will find loafing on the beach. : We then birded in Indigenous Park across the street and discovered a : mini-fallout which included: : Wilson's Warbler : Yellow-Throated Warbler : Cape May Warbler : American Redstart : Black-throated Blue Warbler : Northern Waterthrush : Magnolia Warbler : Prairie Warbler : Palm Warbler : Eastern Peewee : Red-eyed Vireo : After a celebratory libation of Harp's Lager at Mulcahy's Pub on Duval : Street, we headed over to the Key West Botanical Garden on Stock Island. : Here we would add: : Ovenbird : Northern Parula : Worm-eating Warbler : Chestnut-sided Warbler : Black-and-white Warbler : Swainson's Thrush : Scarlet Tanager : White-crowned Pigeon : After a lunch of grouper sandwiches and conch fritters, washed down with No : Name Ale at the No Name Pub on No Name Key, we headed back, but not before : seeing an endangered six-point Key West White-tailed Deer and a Reddish : Egret (White Phase). Life is good..............especially when seeing a once : in a lifetime bird (390 in Florida-10 to go)with good friends. : P.S. Terry Doyle and a buddy of his from Naples showed up at Higgs Beach : before we left and saw the gull out on the pilings.

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