[Tweeters] Commence Bay Jaegers

[Hans-Joachim Feddern]

After getting nice looks at the continuing Black-legged Kittiwake at Browns
Point yesterday (Thanks again Marcus!) and an added juvenile Heermann's
Gull, my wife Carole drew our attention to a large dark bird
harassing Bonaparte's Gulls - a dark phase Parasitic Jaeger! Once in It was
in binocular view, the faint white in the center of the wing primaries
confirmed the identification. What a great bird!
Today we took a walk at Dune Peninsula Park at Point Ruston and spotted
another dark phased Parasitic Jaeger - possibly the same bird as yesterday.
Interestingly this jaeger had a 2nd year Glaucous-winged Gull turn
tables on it! It was funny to see the bully being chased by the larger gull
and trying to evade it. The jaeger finally landed on the water to rest and
the gull gave up the pursuit.

When I looked for it a little later, I was able to relocate it and I
noticed it was a little lighter under the chin and may have been a
intermediate phase bird. Suddenly a second dark jaeger appeared and landed
next to the first. but it took off again within a short time and singled
out one of the Bonaparte's Gull and the aerial duel was on! It is amazing
how agile the Bonaparte's Gull is. It was twisting and turning, spiraling
upward and back down towards the water, however the larger jaeger stayed
right with it!  What a show!

We  watched this from the top - northern part of Dune Peninsula Park and
the action took place about 300 yards southeast of the Vashon Ferry
Terminal.

Good Birding!

Hans

-- 
*Hans Feddern*
Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA
thefedderns at gmail.com
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