There wasn't a decision about should I go. It was only how am I going to go. The bird was discovered on January 2 and the plan was to be there on Sunday the 4th. It didn't work out. But on Tuesday, January 6, six birders from KC found themselves headed east with Quincy, IL programmed in their iphones.
When we arrived around noon, the bird had not been seen all morning. Well, maybe there was a sighting or two of an all white bird, but observers were too reluctant to call it. We scoped from near The Pier restaurant. Other birders joined us. Someone was headed north to look. Phone numbers were exchanged and it was cold. Windy and in the teens. Every moment we wondered if the bird had moved on, the cold seemed colder. Then the phone call came- they had it bathing on the Missouri side of the river off Quississippi Island. We headed north, but really didn't know where we were going.
There is an All American Park and if you go through it you end up on a little one lane bridge across the east side of the river. If you go past that you end up on the island. Park by the bathrooms and take the trail down to the river. Within a few minutes there were over 30 birders looking through binoculars and scopes and there on the ice was a pure white gull. Just sitting there like a frozen chunk from the river.
Of the 30 plus birders there, at least 15 were from the KC/St. Joseph/Chillicothe area. We saw old friends, new faces of the names we've known for a long time and met people from all over. Larry Lade was there. We shared a Least Tern several years back. Jo Ann came too. We celebrated her 80th birthday not too long ago and her 600th life bird! I wondered how far past 600 the gull fell into her life list?
If you were looking to compare scopes, this was the place to do. I think they were all represented. Greg Neise let me peak through the Kowa 88 that I've been dying to glance into. I also stood next to him as he talked to an editor at the Chicago Tribune about the stir over a gull. The article came out later that day- witness to the promotion of birding. http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/pets/ct-rare-ivory-gull-sighting-met-20150106-story.html
This was Micky's first, big chase and one of the few birds Mark would chase. Nancy liked it so much she's going back to see it again this weekend- if it stays put.
After about 40 minutes, although the cold seemed to subside once the bird was found, we were headed back off the banks of the river and in search of a hot meal. I wasn't allowed to carry my scope due to a flying lesson I failed on the way down but managed the short trek back without incident. We decided on The Pier restaurant- easy to find and a good way to support a local business.
Once inside, I'll admit I was slightly intimidated by the white table cloths and our less than formal, outdoor, stay warm no matter what, clothing. It only last a few seconds. We were immediately greeted by an energetic host who hurried to make a table for 6... no wait. Now there's 8.... umm 10.... maybe a couple more? He didn't bat an eye. Just made it work. We learned how a dinner guest first spotted the gull while inside the restaurant and how much they enjoyed the birders that had thus far patronized the restaurant.
Part way through lunch a Peregrine Falcon landed in a tree across the river from the restaurant. No one minded the commotion of us roaming about it our winter boots and binoculars to take a closer look. They even offered the upstairs windows if that would suite us better.
It was good meal and great comradery and we were shortly back on the road headed west. Couple hours later we noticed the sky start to light up. Not just light but become alive with color and luminance and brilliance. I've seen a lot of sunsets but I have never seen one like this. For an hour, an entire hour! it changed and grew and was just intoxicating. Brilliant, deep reds. Fire pinks. Oranges that burned and blues that soothed. And just when you thought it was winding down it would once again compose it's self into a mosaic of colors that would turn any artists palette green with envy. Until the very last glow it was the most spectacular sunset. We talked about it almost continuously for the hour it performed. Just in awe of how nature can cap off the most wonderful of days with a light show that could not be rivaled anywhere else..
People ask why I bird. The answer can depend on the day, but in general it's the way it connects us. It connects us to the world, to nature, to the birds we share with other states and other countries. Most of all it connects us to each other- to those of us that revel in a pure white bird and a brilliant sunset.
