I spent several hours today looking at gulls around Upper Marlboro.  I started at Schoolhouse Pond around 11:15.  There were approximately 275 Ring-billed Gulls, 30 or so Herring Gulls and 10 Laughing Gulls.  Mikey Lutmerdig showed up and we went to Depot Pond (behind the Home Depot).  There were more gulls here and Mikey quickly got on the 1st winter Glaucous Gull.  We got great views of the gull.  Also present were a few Great Black-backed Gulls, and many Ring-billed and Herring Gulls, as well as a few Laughing Gulls.  We watched the Glaucous Gull for probably 30 or 45 minutes.  After Mikey left, the Glaucous Gull moved off (I either lost it in the large group of gulls or it flew off when I was focused on other birds).  Many of the other gulls had shifted and/or flew out.  I also found an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull before I left.

I then returned to Schoolhouse Pond, which now had many more gulls.  Over the next hour and half a number of other birders showed up and we sorted through the gulls, but unfortunately the Glaucous Gull did not make another appearance.  The best birds at Schoolhouse Pond were 1 1st winter Great Black-backed Gull and 1 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull.  Many, many more Ring-billed and Herring Gulls flew in, and I counted up to 33 Laughing Gulls.

It was also interesting to note the buildup of the gulls at Schoolhouse Pond throughout the day.  Usually I can only check on them at lunchtime, but today I could watch as the numbers increase throughout the afternoon.  As noted above, there were 275 Ring-billed Gulls at 11:15 AM, but the number had increased to over 800 at 1:30 PM and over 1,200 by 2:30 or 3.  The totals for the other species also increased throughout the day and by mid afternoon there were probably 250 or so Herring Gulls as well.

Fred Shaffer

Crofton, MD