Lesser Black-backed Gull; Golden Eagle in Thumb

[Karl Overman]

On Saturday, October 25th, a birding foursome--myself, Robert  
Epstein, Scott Jennex and Cathy Carroll, birded eastern sections of  
the Thumb in Sanilac and Huron County.  It was a good day to be in  
the field.  I will give a more complete rundown at se-mich but the  
highlights were an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull in Sanilac County  
and a Golden Eagle inland in extreme southern Huron County.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull was at the landfill NW of Carsonville on  
Ruth Road about a half mile north of M-46.  It was resting in an open  
field on the west side of Ruth Road, in with around 200 Herring and  
Ring-billed Gulls. For all I know, this is a first county record for  
the bird.

We saw the Golden Eagle, an immature, initially in the distance over  
farm country that is being transformed into windmill country  between  
Bad Axe and Ubly in southern Huron County.  We chased it over the  
farm roads/windmill roads until the bird flew right over our car on  
Jurgess Road a half mile north of Atwater Road.

We also had a White-rumped Sandpiper at Deckerville in  Sanilac County.

Cheers,

Karl Overman
Farmington Hills, Mi.