[EBB Sightings] that Franklin's gull

The trees are dead because the irrigation system on the island has quit
working.

Frankie was still there this evening around 6 pm. No sign of the Chat but I
was rewarded with a Swainson's Thrush for my efforts. It was in the "blue
spruce" in front of the Garden Center. I also noticed a number of fairly
fresh looking sapsucker holes in that tree. I've never noticed a sapsucker
in the park.

Bruce Mast
Oakland, CA
510-435-1371
�
________________________________________
From: sightings-admin at diabloaudubon.com
[mailto:sightings-admin at diabloaudubon.com] On Behalf Of Phila Rogers
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 4:15 PM
To: sightings
Subject: [EBB Sightings] that Franklin's gull

If you haven't seen it yet, make sure you visit the bird feeding area at
Lake Merritt for the Franklin's gull.� Emily Strauss and I found it easily
this morning just where it was supposed to be -- on the white boom nearest
shore just north of the feeding area.� The bird was a lifer for me but more
important a truly thrilling�experience as this exquisite bird is unlike any
gull I know.� The black head, thick white eye ring, the red-tipped bill, the
black legs and impeccable plumage�and diminutive size was quite enough, but
then you add a suffusion of pink orange that rises from the white breast up
and around the nape and --WOW!� (I'll be back tomorrow).� The other gulls --
mostly ring-bill and California's --�appear to resent this solitary,
straying beauty and give it no peace.
�
On a technical point, the bill is only red-tipped (not all red) and the legs
appear to be entirely black unlike the mature male in breeding plumage shown
in my field guides.
�
While you're there, check out all the breeding birds on the islands -- both
egrets, cormorants, black-crowned night herons, plumes galore and chicks
begging in the nest.� Why are the trees dead on the outermost island?� The
skeletons are nice frames for the cormorant nests but the fallen limbs
littering the ground make me wonder in the rest of the tree is soon to
follow.
�
Phila Rogers