A Balmy Gull Extravaganza

This weekend was the one I chose to head up to the Niagara River to check out the gulls and other birds.  It turned out to be an excellent time!  A good number of gulls were on the river...and birders too!  The weather was balmy--certainly the warmest I have experienced there for this time of year.  I met lots of familiar people and even three fellow Bloggers!
No photos, as I gave the camera a rest this weekend.  Birds were too distant to photograph anyway, but he scenery was nice.  Actually for a brief period this morning, there was a nice sunrise.
I left Wallaceburg at 05:30 Saturday morning to get an early start.  I was going to check on that suspicious pelican on the way to Niagara-on-the-Lake, but missed the turn somehow.  I got it on the way home this afternoon.
Upon arrival at the mouth of the Niagara River, Jean Iron and Ron Pittaway pulled into the parking lot in front of me, and others I knew were already there looking at the Razorbill.  This alcid was visible right away!  It was undoubtedly my target bird for the weekend, and the others were just nice to see.  It appears that this bird is likely a first year bird.
I followed other birders upriver including Mark Peck, Barb Charlton, Tyler Hoar et al to the Queenston docks. From there we could see two adult Little Gulls.
On the way to Adam Beck, we checked for roosting Black Vultures, but to no avail.  Turns out this was the only day there were not seen! (not surprising to me).  Today, Brandon Holden and Jenn Bock spotted 5 well over New York soil before lunch.
At Adam Beck yesterday, the Franklin's Gull was well seen, and later sitting on the "roosting rock" upriver.  We also had at least 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (one a 2nd cycle-not often seen), 2 Thayer's (1 adult, 1 first cycle), perhaps 4 Iceland plus the usuals.  Glaucous was absent, as it has not come in with numbers yet.
Very few Bonaparte's here, but lots at the roosting rocks and whirlpool

I heard that there was a Black-legged Kittiwake at the Whirlpool, so I went up there to find it.  Brad Carlson helped me find it swimming on the water.  There was also a first cycle Little Gull there.
At the Falls with the Mark Peck party, we only found a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls.  No Purples yet!
I spent the rest of the afternoon at Adam Beck and "apparently", left just a few minutes before the California Gull was spotted!  Oh well, you cannot be everywhere all the time.  I had to go eat supper, and if anyone knows me, I don't miss meals!  It was one that Barb Charlton was after, making an impressive 315 for her Ontario list this year.

Early this morning I started at the Whirlpool.  However, I checked the north side which is actually quite good for viewing gulls.  Birders less often go to the viewing spot it seems.  I saw hundreds of bonies, but nothing unusual.
I then spent some time at Adam Beck seeing all the usuals.  Bored with that, I headed down to NOTL to get another look at the Razorbill.  Brandon and Jenn were there among others.  Just before I left Queen's Royal Park, I spotted an adult Little Gull among the bonies.
Not done for the morning, I went back up to Adam Beck.  I walked up the trail to view the roosting rocks spot.  While I was there a Northern Mockingbird perched for quite some time, and a few Eastern Bluebirds were feeding on berries.  Also there was a Yellow-rumped Warbler (first one in quite some time!), and chickadees.
Back to Adam Beck, a bonus bird came upriver and worked the area.  A Pomarine Jaeger (juv)!  It is the first jaeger I have seen there.  Likely the same one seen downriver earlier.
Almost forgot to mention, I had some Common Redpolls and Pine Siskins flying over Adam Beck early this morning.  First redpolls I have encountered this fall!
By this time it was raining quite heavily, so I headed homeward.  I made a brief stop to see that pelican, then booked it home in the rainy, windy weather.  A long, crappy drive......!
Next weekend will likely be good as well since it is supposed to get colder this week.