For those who are heading to the river this weekend, keep an eye out for a dark-mantled gull that was seen below the falls last Sunday. The photos are not conclusive but it COULD be a Slaty-backed Gull. It appeared to be a third-year bird (a little brown in wing coverts(?) and lots of black on bill) and was intermediate in mantle shade between Lesser and Great Black-backed Gulls. The size was described as slightly larger than a Herring Gull. The neck was streaked and the head appeared to be less so. The legs and feet were pink. The wing pattern was not observed.
We occasionally see dark-mantled gulls that are probably hybrids so that should be kept in mind. I would not expect a Herring X Great Black-backed to be as dark as this bird appeared in the photos but there may be variation in this feature or this gull could be a backcross (i.e. with a hybrid and a Great Black-backed as parents). Two Kittiwakes, 2 Glaucous Gulls, California Gull (same one) and all the regular gulls were seen last weekend, totalling 11 species. In addition both adult (Adam Beck) and first-winter (above the falls) Nelson's Gulls (sorry Paul H!) were seen. A single Purple Sandpiper (not seen Sunday or subsequently) and a female Harlequin Duck were seen above the falls. Peregrine Falcons are being seen fairly regularly of late and the Rufous Hummingbird was still coming to feeders in Niagara Falls, Ontario last weekend. Good birding! Willie -------------- Willie D'Anna Betsy Potter Wilson, N.Y. [EMAIL PROTECTED]
