Observações de gregslak

HOSECLEANING VIA FECAL SAC: I noticed a starling entering a cavity in a large tree. While capturing a few photos, I got lucky and witnessed the bird disposing of what appears to be a fecal sac out of the hole. A fecal sac is a mucous membrane, generally white or clear with a dark end, that surrounds the feces of some species of nestling birds.

This rare visitor was first reported by Keith Condon on April 21st. I got lucky today and it landed right on the north shore of the lake as I arrived. It is a large gray-backed gull with deep yellow legs and a conspicuously heavy yellow bill with an oversized orange spot on the lower mandible. It stood out as most of the surrounding gulls were smaller Pacific Gulls.