Today I finished grinding out a few hours at our Yakima rental painting and before dark stopped to look for the Slaty-backed gull at the 11th Street where everything is different from last year since the old pier and building have been torn down, the parking area paved, and the place the SBGU roosted last year is gone. Very few gulls at the bathing spot in the river, but as I left I got lucky and met Bruce LaBar.
Together we went to Gog-li-hi-ti marsh and when I drove in Bruce already had the Slaty-backed gull in his scope. We also found a Western Gull, several Thayer’s and one Herring amongst the GWGUs and hybrids. Not much else on a walk around the the ponds, but it was good to find the SBGU so easily this year after it being my nemesis for the last few years.