Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Pomarine Jaeger
Scientific name:	Stercorarius pomarinus
Date:	15 May 2011
Time:	approx. 3:30 pm etc.
Length of time observed:	several minutes in total
Number:	one
Age:	adult
Sex:	?
Location:	Antelope Island Causeway between mile markers 5.5 - 6.1
County:	Davis
Latilong:	41.0870, -112.1414 approx.
Elevation:	4200 feet
Distance to bird:	various
Optical equipment:	Leica 10x42 trinovid binocs &
Weather:	Mostly overcast, extremely windy
Light Conditions:	misc.
Description: Size of bird:	size of a gull
(Description:) Basic Shape:	similar to a gull
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	(see below)
(Description:) Bill Type:	(not noted in notes)
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Copied from my eBird checklist at the behest of Colby: Adult light phase at mm 5.5 - 6.1. Saw it three times (starting ~3:30pm), once with a scope: -- great looks at long tail with inverted "knob" tips [i.e. the tail projections were twisted] -- pale breast with clear dark band -- black cap -- strong flier in near gale force winds -- perched for a while on the mudflat.
Song or call & method of delivery:	silent
Behavior:	Flying in extremely strong wind & perched on mudflat
Habitat:	Mudflat and air above saline lake.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	(Not recorded in notes, but I got very good scope views of twisted tail projections.)
Previous experience with this & similar species:	I have seen many over the years, both on pelagic trips and over land, in several countries, but I do not consider myself an expert at field identification of species in this difficult genus.
References consulted:	Likely National Geographic & possibly Sibley guides.
Description from:	Notes taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	David Wheeler
Observer's address:	2196 South 1000 East, SLC, UT 84106
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	Laura Lockhart
Date prepared:	28 Dec 2019
Additional material:	No_additional_Materials
Additional comments:	Sorry for the paucity of details, but I'm submitting this information from my eBird notes many years after the fact, at the behest of Colby.