Around 2:15 this afternoon Betsy picked out a first-winter FRANKLINS GULL at Devils Hole State Park, as we scoped from the Power Vista viewing deck. We were about ¾ mile downriver from the bird. There were many Bonapartes Gulls (about 1300) in the area where the Franklins was seen. There were no other unusual gulls in the area and not very many large gulls. Several of the Herring Gulls are molting their outer primaries and can appear to be a white-winged gull, so beware. The Franklins would have been much closer had we looked from the top of Devils Hole, rather than the Power Vista. You have to move around a bit to find good openings in the trees there. In the past, Franklins Gulls in this area have also been seen at the power plants and at the Whirlpool (Spanish Aero Car).
DIRECTIONS: The Power Vista is at the Robert Moses Power Plant on NY 104 in the Town of Lewiston, adjacent to and on the north side of Niagara University. Devils Hole SP is about ¾ mile south of the Power Vista, accessible from NY 104 or from the Robert Moses Parkway. To view Devils Hole from the Ontario side, one can look from opposite the parking area for the Butterfly Conservatory and just north of there. This area is about one km or so south of the famous Adam Beck overlook. You have to move around to find an opening in the trees. Good birding! Willie ------------------ Willie D'Anna Betsy Potter Wilson, NY dannapotterATroadrunner.com http://www.betsypottersart.com <http://www.betsypottersart.com/> 2013 Big Year: http://www.betsypottersart.com/willie-s-photos/2013-big-year/ Big Year List: http://www.happtech.com/BigYearDanna/CurrentList/ShowCurrentListTable.aspx Odenates: http://www.betsypottersart.com/willie-s-photos/dragonflies _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
