[mou] Long ago a possible Slaty-backed Gull

[John Green]

This is a message from Jan on John's email which we both use.

Long ago, before the age of digital cameras and multiple observers with
cars that travel long distances, there was a gull that I observed on
January 4, 1968 at Knife River that I suspected then, and still do, was a
Slaty-backed Gull.  I still have the detailed field notes that I took and
pbulished in "The Loon" in 1969 (v. 41, p. 55-56).  The size similar to
male Herring Gull, slate grey mantle, bright pink legs and feet, light
yellow riris, and very heavy mottling about the head, nape and upper
breast are a better fit for an adult of this speciess than any other.

It was in the slip that the commercial fishermen used (before the marian
was excavated) and I was parked adjacent to the slip.  I could not find it
again before our daughter Sarah was born on the 12th of January.  No one
else saw it at close hand although a dark-backed gull was seen later in
the month.  It was minus 25 degrees that day in 1968.  Quite a contrast
with just being able to walk to the patio of the East Bay Hotel in July 
and see the adult Slate-backed Gull perched on the wall at the edge of the
lawn.

I hope all those who trekked to Grand Marais also joined Harbor Friends
(web: www.harborfriends.org and email: harborfriends@boreal.org).  Molly
and Ken Hoffman are mainstays of the group and their goal is to keep the
harbor as natural as possible for bird habitat, etc. in face of a big
marina proposal.

Jan Green