Further to Willie's post on the Mew Gull at Niagara today, we thought we could provide some additional information. We found the bird, in definitive basic plumage, sitting on the breakwall downstream from the control gate at about 2:00pm. We were joined by about 20 observers over a period of about an hour as the bird stayed there. Eventually we left it at about 3:00pm, with it still in the same location. It appears to be of the North American race brachyrhynchus due to the dark mantle and unmarked yellow bill. We were able to digiscope the bird during the time we observed it. We suggest using the dark mantle color to pick out the bird, as its quite dark, almost approaching Lesser Black-backed in shade (one of which it sat beside for most of the time). Interestingly there were few Ring-billeds on the entire breakwall so its small size was quite obvious.
Good luck! Colin Jones, Peter Burke ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/ Colin Jones <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
