Date: 5/5/24 6:27 pm From: Tim Bray via groups.io <tbray...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Bonaparte's Gulls and Pacific Loons
Big flight of Bonaparte's Gulls and Pacific Loons this afternoon, going
north low over the water just offshore at Mendocino Headlands and
probably visible from any good promontory. The Gulls were strung out in
a nearly continuous line just outside the rocks and the Loons were in
loose flocks of around 20 birds every few seconds.
I didn't have my scope so couldn't tell what else was out there, but
expect Phalaropes are also going by. Someone sent me a photo of an
injured bird in Boonville and it was a female Red-necked Phalarope in
breeding plumage.
Big colonies of Common Murres and Brandt's Cormorants on the rocks off
the north headlands at Mendocino. The Murres are crowded together in
several places and are vocalizing. Some Brandt's Cormorants are already
on nests and others are building theirs.
There were a few Brown Pelicans, including adults, on the farthest rock.
