It was a great day on the river today. The highlight was an adult SLATY-BACKED GULL, found by Kevin McLaughlin on the island downriver from the control gates. Word spread quickly and there soon amassed a huge flock of birders. Suddenly, all the gulls got up, including the Slaty-backed, which flew directly towards all of us and landed on the breakwall very nearby! The string-of-pearls were well seen, as were all other field marks - broad tertial crescent, bright rich pink legs, mantle shade between Lesser and Great Black-backeds, size about that of a Herring Gull.
See Jean Iron's photos here: http://www.jeaniron.ca/Gulls/2011/slatybacked.htm Here is what else was seen at the various spots: Niagara-on-the-Lake: The RAZORBILL was seen very early by many birders but then suddenly was no longer being seen. It was not reported the rest of the day. Much later in the morning, some Ithaca birders saw a dead bird floating down the river that looked like it could be the Razorbill. Before we conclude that the Razorbill is dead, we should wait to see if there are any reports tomorrow. This bird has been pretty consistent in its behavior and fairly easy to find, so if it is not seen tomorrow, that may be the end. 1 adult LITTLE GULL Two RED-THROATED and two COMMON LOONS Many WHITE-WINGED and three BLACK SCOTERS Queenston boat ramp: 1-2 LITTLE GULLS Adult ICELAND GULL (between the boat ramp and the bridge) Adam Beck overlook (power plants): 4 ICELAND GULLS 3 THAYER'S GULLS 1 LITTLE GULL 1 first-winter FRANKLIN'S GULL The Whirlpool: First-winter BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE (probably the same bird was seen at the roosting rocks just upriver from the power plants) - found today by Kyle Holloway. The Gorge below the falls: Juvenile PARASITIC JAEGER (between the American Falls and the Rainbow bridge). This bird sat on the water and also flew around to chase gulls before flying downriver and out of sight, roughly around 12:30. The Control Gates: Adult SLATY-BACKED GULL found by Kevin McLaughlin 2-3 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS (four were seen from Goat Island, NY) 1 adult ICELAND GULL (across the river at Goat Island) 2 female HARLEQUIN DUCKS - these birds were seen a couple of times on the breakwall with the gulls. They would drop into the water just on the other side of the breakwall so that they could no longer be seen. They could occasionally be picked up in flight, flying upriver just beyond the breakwall until landing out of sight again behind it. On the same island that the Slaty-backed was on, there was a juvenile JAEGER, which got up and flew downriver. Some identified it as Pomarine and some as Parasitic. I did not get on it until it was near the brink of the falls. I would be very interested to hear arguments for this bird's identification. The Rocks between the falls and the treed islands: 2 immature GLAUCOUS GULLS Above the Engineerium (aka the big electrical building): One PURPLE SANDPIPER on their favorite rock, found by Jean Iron Good birding! Willie ------------------ Willie D'Anna Betsy Potter Wilson, NY dannapotterATroadrunner.com http://www.betsypottersart.com <http://www.betsypottersart.com/> -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
