Starting with the big highight of the day, there was a 1st year BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE sitting on the rocks along the Deer Creek just north of where it enters the main reservoir in Fayette County. This bird was one of the most obliging birds I ever had the pleasure to photograph. If it was a paid model I couldn't have asked for more. Too bad the light was crappy all morning. It sat on the rocks along the stream all morning, getting up to catch a fish every 45 min. or so, which it managed to do quickly. Around 1:00 a Bonie (one of thousands in the reservoir came by and the kittiwake followed it to around the osprey nest platform area where it stayed for another half hour or so. When the Bonie left the kittiwake followed it toward the main part of the reservoir and I never relocated it after that. There are still a couple of thousand Bonaparte's Gulls in the reservoir, and Ring-billed and Herring Gulls are also more numerous than they were on my last visit 2 weeks ago. The bird could be anywhere. It didn't seem too interested in associating with other gulls. The kittiwake snapped at the single Bonie the only time I saw it approach the kittiwake. The bird could be anywhere feeding in the reservoir, but I would be surprised to see it loafing on the mud or beach with the rest of the gulls. It more likely would be on a rock by itself somewhere I'd think. Since it seems to manage to find food easily, it doesn't spend much time in the air when it's easy to pick out from the rest of the birds.

Yeah there were other birds in the reservoir today including 4 each of Snow Geese and ROSS'S GEESE. Their size and bill shapes, both seen well and not too far away, didn't make me suspect that there were any hybrids there, but you can go look for yourself if you want. Also present were Pied-billed and Horned Grebes, 2 Tundra Swans, Buffleheads, Hooded Megansers, Ruddy Ducks, Mallards, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaups, Am Black Ducks, etc. Shorebirds seemed to be limited to just Killdeers today. Because most of my time was spent with the kittiwake, I didn't check much else out today.

Yes, Road 5 remains open!

Bob Royse



Robert Royse
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www.roysephotos.com

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