updates, Bent County Brown Pelican and Iceland Gull

[Duane Nelson]

Birders,

In between canoeing to the islands on the north side of John Martin
Reservoir, the first-cycle Iceland Gull reported by Tony Leukering last
Friday flew by me when I was at Point Overlook. It was alone and headed
to the west. There are countless places for a single gull to hide, and I
know of no primary roost sites, but. . ., this bird could appear again
to the dedicated or lucky birder.

The Brown Pelican is present for day five in the basin below the dam at
John Martin Reservoir, but something seems different. It wasn't there
when I first arrived, flew in from the west, briefly enjoyed the current
in the settlement basin, got up, and circled high with American White
Pelicans. I don't know if it dropped back down, but, to me, it seemed
restless and ready to move on.

There was a thread on cobirds a while ago about unlikely bird pairings.
Certainly a Brown Pelican and an Iceland Gull at the same lake on the
same day in Colorado has to stretch the boundaries of the possible.

Duane Nelson
Las Animas, Bent County, CO