Monthly Notables November 2016

• Black-legged Kittiwake (adult). Pueblo County, Colorado. 01 November 2016.
• Continuing from last week of October.
• Little Gull (adult). Union County, Indiana. 03 November 2016.
• Black-headed Gull (adult). Accomack County, Virginia. 05 November 2016.
• Yellow-legged Gull (adult). St. John's County, Newfoundland. 06 November 2016.
• Continuing.
• Thayer's Gull (adult). Nome County, Alaska. 06 November 2016.
• Late. Very rare. 13th Fall Record for Nome.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Lake County, Minnesota. 07 November 2016.
• Laughing Gull (adult type). Mahoning County, Ohio. 07 November 2016.
• Sabine's Gull (juvenile). Ketchikan Gateway County, Alaska. 09 November 2016.
• Late. First November record for Ketchikan.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (2nd cycle). Portage la Prairie Area Co, Manitoba. 10 November 2016.
• Continuing from June 2016.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). Santa Clara County, California. 10 November 2016.
• Western Gull (1st cycle). Salt Lake County, Utah. 11 November 2016.
• Continuing from October 2016.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Palm Beach County, Florida. 12 November 2016.
• Ring-billed Gull (adult). Juneau County, Alaska. 13 November 2016.
• Great Black-backed Gull (adult). Pueblo County, Colorado. 18 November 2016.
• Believed to be the same returning adult for the 23rd year!
• Glaucous Gull (juvenile). Power County, Idaho. 19 November 2016.
• Vega Gull (adult). Santa Clara County, California. 22 November 2016.
• Photos of a very promising individual with all the correct field marks. No open wing.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult type). St.John's County, Newfoundland. 23 November 2016.
• Little Gull (1st cycle). Ventura County, California. 23 November 2016.
• 3rd county record. First in 27 years for Ventura County!
• Sabine's Gull (juvenile). Haines County, Alaska. 23 November 2016.
• Late.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Pierce County, Washington. 24 November 2016.
• Reoccurring at this site.
• Iceland Gull (1st cycle). Salt Lake County, Utah. 24 November 2016.
• Apparent Kumlien's Gull.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). Riverside County, California. 26 November 2016.
• Slaty-backed Gull (3rd cycle). Metro Vancouver County, British Columbia. 27 November 2016.
• Black-headed Gull (adult). Butler County, Pennsylvania. 29 November 2016.
• Presumably returning to this site since 2008.

Miscellaneous Notes.

1. Reported early this month was an intriguing 1st cycle bird from Superior, Wisconsin (observed in September). Plumage entirely juvenile. Body size, bill size and structure all seemed perfect for Ring-billed Gull which it was associating with. However, the inner primaries and greater coverts were plain and uniformly dark like a Lesser Black-backed Gull (and this is what the observers initially identified it as). After some discussion on North American Gulls (NAG), the bird was thought to either be a RBGU x LBBG or a melanistic Ring-billed. There is some precendence for the hybrid theory (see photos here of a Spanish bird suspected of this mix). It's important to emphasize that this pairing has never been verified in the wild - no courting or nesting evidence. As for melanistic Ring-billed Gull, melanism in gulls usually expresses itself unevenly and tends to be more blotchy. The Superior gull was "perfectly" pigmented like a fresh juvenile LBBG. The most likely explanation is a juvenile Ring-billed packed with a high dose of melanin. Observers: Robbye Johnson, Thomas Shultz and others. 
2. A banded adult type Lesser Black-backed Gull was reported on the Mississippi River at Lock & Dam 3 in Goodhue County, Minnesota. The bird was sporting a black field-readable band on its right leg with 3 white characters. It also wore a metal band on its left leg. Unfortunately, the 3 characters on the black band can not be read clearly, but the combination matches none from North America. The only LBBG banding program using a similar field-readable is from the UK. Observer: Alex Franzen.
3. Continuing the trend of increasing reports, putative Herring x Lesser Black-backeds were reported from several regions this month (Michigan, New York, several from New Foundland and Florida). All reports/photos represent adult birds.
4. A very interesting adult gull with Taimyr/Mongolian-like attributes was photographed in Alameda County, California on 10 November 2016. The bird does not resemble any taxon or putative hybrid that regularly occurs in North America (photos here). Observer: Noah Arthur.

November 2016 Quiz

Age: Pointed primaries, patterned wing coverts and some apparent juvenile scapulars assist in aging this gull as a 1st cycle individual. Most of the lower scapulars are juvenile (=1st basic), but the faint gray upper scapulars are non-juvenile (=formative or 1st alternate).

Identification: The uniform paleness to this bird suggests a large 4-year white-winger. Our white-wingers are Glaucous, Glaucous-winged, Thayer's and Iceland Gull. The mostly black bill pattern would be inconsistent with Glaucous Gull, especially one that has already renewed some scapulars. The primaries are too pale for a Thayer's Gull. This leaves us with Glaucous-winged and Iceland Gull.

A few features should immediately jump out at the observer as pro Glaucous-winged: This is a bulgy gull with a short wing projection and a long/strong bill. Iceland Gulls tends to show more petite bills, longer wings, and proportionally larger eyes placed lower on the face.

This month's quiz bird was identified as a 1st cycle Glaucous-winged Gull. This age group regularly shows variable scapular molt early in its hatch year. The molt can be absent to extensive. The bill pattern also varies from all-dark to paling around the base. Interestingly, some hatch year Glaucous-winged Gulls show this "mismatched" whitish head against a darker body. Whether this is due to bleaching, an early molt restricted to the head/neck, or just natural variation isn't clear.

January. San Mateo County, California.

Monthly Notables October 2016

• Glaucous Gull (2nd cycle type). Essex County, Ontario. 04 October 2016.
• Continuing since at least July!
• California Gull (2nd cycle). New Haven County, Connecticut. 04 October 2016.
• Great Black-backed Gull (juvenile). Galveston County, Texas. 07 October 2016.
• Only the second time this species has been recorded in Texas in October.
• Chandeleur Gull (adult). Mobile County, Alabama. 08 October 2016.
• Tending toward Kelp. Associating with Herrings on Pelican Island.
• Chandeleur Gull (adult). LaPorte County, Indiana. 09 October 2016.
• Reoccurring southern Lake Michigan hybrid.
• Mew Gull (1st cycle). Nome County, Alaska. 09 October 2016.
• Apparent Kamchatka Gull in Gambell.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (2nd cycle type). Johnson County, Iowa. 10 October 2016.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Pierce County, Washington. 12 October 2016.
• Continuing. This individual now a regular in the Gog Le-Hi-Te Wetlands area.
• Iceland Gull (adult). Salt Lake County, Utah. 13 October 2016.
• Kumlien's. First October record and earliest Fall arrival for Utah. Previous to this the earliest arrival was 04 November 2008.
• Black-headed Gull (presumed adult type). Marion County, Kansas. 15 October 2016.
• Photos of a red-billed bird were very promising but bird was not relocated.
• California Gull (3rd cycle type). Rock Island County, Illinois. 18 October 2016. 
• Recorded on the Mississippi River, moving between Illinois and Iowa.
• Yellow-legged Gull (adult). St. John's County, Newfoundland. 21 October 2016.
• The only location in all of North America where the species is expected.
• Western Gull (2nd cycle). Morgan County, Colorado. 21 October 2016
• Banded. Likely the same individual first found in Washington County in June. 
• Little Gull (1st cycle). Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. 22 October 2016.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Clark County, Nevada. 23 October 2016.
• Less than 10 records for the entire state.
• California Gull (adult). LaPorte County, Indiana. 24 October 2016.
• In the area since late August.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Ralls County, Missouri. 26 October 2016.
• Little Gull (adult). Lake County, Indiana. 29 October 2016.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Cook County, Illinois. 30 October 2016.

Miscellaneous Notes

1. Lesser Black-backed numbers begin to build in coastal Florida in October. On 17 October 2016, Michael Brothers observed F:003 in Volusia County, FL. This individual, banded on 20 March 2015 in the same county, is more evidence that Florida's growing LBBG population exhibits some winter site fidelity.
2. Putative Chandeleur Gulls (Kelp x Herring hybrids) have not vanished from the earth. October has become the month that these hybrids are reported with more frequency, especially on the Gulf Coast. Two were recorded this month (Indiana and Alabama) with a third candidate in Texas (Galveston County; 12 Oct 2016). Note that roughly 30 hybrid types were found back on the islands in the breeding season of 2015. I do wonder why more pure Kelp Gulls are not being reported in the ABA area. Perhaps some are being overlooked as large Lesser Black-backs, or, most are programmed to "winter" south of the equator.

October 2016 Quiz

Age: The adult-like gray scapulars down the middle of the back and lightly marked uppertail coverts immediately suggest a 2nd cycle type. Also, the solid black tertials with relatively wide white edges support a bird not in its 1st plumage cycle.

Identification: The largely uniform brown wings and dark gray central scapulars point to a dark-backed species. The checkered lesser and median coverts are suggestive of Lesser Black-backed Gull. The lightly barred/marbled region in the tail feathers (specifically the partition between the black tail band and white uppertail coverts) also resembles LBBG, and that's what this month's quiz bird was identified as.

Berrien County, Michigan. September.

Here's a more detailed photo of this rather "large" Lesser:

Monthly Notables September 2016

• Sabine's Gull (adult type). Charlotte County, New Brunswick 02 September 2016.
• Continuing adult from late August, molting into basic plumage.
• Laughing Gull (2nd cycle type). Santa Barbara County, California. 02 September 2016.
• Continued from August.
• Little Gull (juvenile). Douglas County, Colorado. 03 September 2016.
• Stunning bird with 75%+ juvenile scapulars. Photos.
• Little Gull (juvenile). Polk County, Iowa. 03 September 2016.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Virginia Beach County, Virginia. 03 September 2016.
• Sabine's Gull (juvenile). Marathon County, Wisconsin. 07 September 2016.
• Sabine's Gull (juvenile). Jackson County, Missouri. 07 September 2016.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (3rd cycle type). Coconino County, Arizona. 08 September 2016.
• Little Gull (juvenile). San Mateo County, California. 11 September 2016.
• Franklin's Gull (1st cycle). La Mitis County, Quebec. 12 September 2016.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult type). Imperial County, California. 14 September 2016.
• Western Gull (2nd cycle). Washington County, Colorado. 16 September 2016.
• Continuing banded bird from Farallon Islands. Now in complete 2nd basic garb.
• Western Gull (juvenile). Salt Lake County, Utah. 13 September 2016. Photos.
• Glaucous Gull (2nd cycle type). Essex County, Ontario. 16 September 2016.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Pierce County, Washington. 20 September 2016.
• California Gull (adult). Berrien County, Michigan. 21 September 2016.
• Laughing Gull (adult type). Morgan County, Colorado. 27 September 2016.
• Thayer's Gull (juvenile). Grand Forks County, North Dakota. 28 September 2016.
• A tad early. Still growing outer primaries. Photos.
• California Gull (2nd cycle). New Haven County, Connecticut. 29 September 2016.
• Possibly "the" 1st cycle bird seen back in April 2016 - a 1st state record then. Photos. 

Miscellaneous Notes

• Juvenile Sabine's Gulls made an above-average appearance throughout the western Great Lakes region this month. A handful of adults were recorded as well - not something that occurs annually! 
• Western Gull is now being reported with more frequency in the interior west. This movement away from the Pacific coast is augmented by the relative increase at the Salton Sea (a high count of 8 this month) and other inland bodies of water. The species is certainly on my radar and I feel it's only a matter of time before one strays to the Great Plains and east to the Mississippi River Valley.

September 2016 Quiz

The September bird appears to be a large 4-year gull. The trickiest part about this month's quiz - in my opinion - is correctly aging our gull. At first glance it looks like a 1st cycle, but a more careful look should reveal a 2nd cycle type. 

It's difficult to be sure what the true primary projection length is because those feathers are raised. But the projection does look suspiciously short, indicating the outer primaries are still growing. The tips are rounded which favors a 2nd cycle type over a 1st cycle. The newer, gray, central scapular feathers do resemble a 1st cycle type as they show dark marks along the shafts and some barring.

But scapular patterns are highly variable in large gulls and they can often betray a bird's true age. The wing coverts, on the other hand, are a bit more reliable when aging. Notice the obvious marbling pattern to the greater coverts and distal tertial edges. This is more typical of a 2nd cycle gull. Also notice in this images the rounded tips to the outermost primaries.

But what species? The bird is not very large or bulky. The relatively small and straight bill call to mind species such as California Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Herring Gull.  

The paling iris and pink legs should immediately dismiss thoughts of a California Gull, and the relatively light gray scapulars raise doubts about this being a Lesser Black-backed Gull. I identified this month's bird as a retarded 2nd cycle type Herring Gull, photographed in Northern Illinois. January. 

Monthly Notables August 2016

• California Gull (2nd summer type). Mason County, Illinois. 01 August 2016.
• Laughing Gull (juvenile). Lancaster County, Nebraska. 01 August 2016.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Pierce County, Washington. 01 August 2016.
• Continuing.
• Western Gull (2nd cycle). Washington County, Colorado. 01 August 2016. 
• Continuing from previous month. Banded on Farallon Islands in the summer of 2015.
• Herring Gull (1st summer). Imperial County, California. 05 August 2016.
• Continuing from July.
• Mew Gull (2nd summer type). Larimer County, Colorado. 05 August 2016.
• Unprecedented. A total of 3 individuals found in the state this month (see below).
• Black-headed Gull (adult type). Lyon County, Minnesota. 08 August 2016.
• Great Black-backed Gull (adult). Harrison County, Mississippi. 11 August 2016.
• Mew Gull (2nd summer type). Larimer County, Colorado. 11 August 2016.
• Individual #2.
• Laughing Gull (adult). Grays Harbor County, Washington. 12 August 2016.
• Glaucous Gull (2nd summer type). Chatham-Kent County, Ontario. 14 August 2016.
• Mew Gull (2nd cycle type). Loveland County, Colorado. 16 August 2016.
• Individual #3.
• Little Gull (adult type). Ottawa County, Michigan. 12 August 2016.
• Franklin's Gull (juvenile). La Haute-Côte-Nord County, Quebec. 19 August 2016.
• Mew Gull (juvenile). Grant County, Washington. 20 August 2016.
• Laughing Gull (adult). Haldimand County, Ontario. 27 August 2016.
• Sabine's Gull (juvenile). Beauharnois-Salaberry County, Quebec. 28 August 2016.
• Mew Gull (juvenile). San Mateo County, California. 28 August 2016.
• California Gull (adult). LaPorte County, Indiana. 31 August 2016.
• First August record for the state.

Miscellaneous Notes 

• Heermann's Gull produced another poor breeding crop this season. Very small numbers of juveniles were reported from Baja California as well as the California Pacific Coast. 
• An adult type California Gull from Colorado was found with one pale eye. Although we don't think of this species as ever showing pale irides, it has been recorded. Considerations of Ring-billed x California or Herring x California hybrids are not unfounded as those hybrids have been reported (primarily in the Great Basin). The August bird was a typical CAGU, minus the pale left eye. 
• An interesting adult type from Ipswich, Massachusetts (Essex County) - first thought to be a canus taxon, then canus x delewarensis - may have been an abnormal Ring-billed Gull missing most of the black subterminal ring on the bill, coupled with dark eyes. Size, gray upperpart coloration, leg color, and primary pattern agreed with Ring-billed Gull. 07 August 2016. See North American Gulls on Facebook for photos.
• Laughing x Ring-billed Gull (adult). Back again since at least 2004, this apparent F1 hybrid is seen sporadically in the summer months on southern Lake Michigan. 21 August 2016. Cook County, Illinois  & Lake County, Indiana.
• Several Mew Gulls were detected this month in a number of western states. Close observation and data from the last few years suggests some young birds begin moving south sooner than previously thought.

August 2016 Quiz

Lesser Black-backed Gull. Brevard County, Florida. January.

This month's quiz bird has a relatively fresh set of feathers, undoubtedly in its first plumage cycle. Structurally, it appears long-winged and this is a helpful clue that may be used with some experience.

The very plain, blackish, secondaries as well as the dark greater primary coverts and outer greater secondary coverts give the impression of a black-backed species. There's also a straight, all-black, bill with a contrasting white head. These field marks are consistent with 1st cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull - an age group that often goes overlooked by many on this continent.

Several quiz participants were stumped by the apparent inner primary "window" and felt this looked better for Herring Gull. Although we don't usually associate pale inner primaries with Lessers, it's not unusual for the species to show this. Note that a much more faint window is visible on the right wing and this is simply an effect caused by the primaries on the left wing being more spread, and hence the pale inner vanes are almost completely exposed, showing the palest portions of those feathers. The window dissipates quickly depending on the bird's behavior or the angle the observer is viewing from (see here for another example).

Another point that was raised as evidence for American Herring is the wide tail band. The tail band is wide, and even wider toward the outer rectrices. Admittedly, most Lessers have thinner tail bands. But note the solid, white, base color to the uppertail coverts. In Herring, the uppertail coverts tend to be more concolorous with the rest of the upperparts, and at the very least, more barring is visible (like so, scroll down for a spread tail).

This month's quiz bird was designed to show two features on LBBG that our popular bird field guides don't necessarily discuss. Paler inner primaries and wider tail bands don't necessarily rule out Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Monthly Notables July 2016

Sightings

• Franklin's Gull (adult). Rimouski-Neigette County, Quebec. 01 July 2016.
• Herring Gull (4th cycle type). San Diego County, California. 02 July 2016.
• Great Lakes Gull (adult type). Delta County, Michigan. 05 July 2016.
• Putative Herring x Great Black-backed Gull, tending toward GBBG. Presumably reoccurring in the region since at least 2012. Noteworthy is that not many Great Lakes hybrids are seen/reported in the summer months. Initially reported as a Slaty-backed Gull.
• Franklin's Gull (adult). Essex County, Massachusetts. 07 July 2016.
• Laughing Gull (1st summer). Capital County, British Columbia. 08 July 2016.
• Glaucous Gull (2nd summer type). Essex County, Ontario. 08 July 2016. 
• Lesser Black-back Gull (1st summer). Cook County, Illinois. 11 July 2016.
• Little Gull (adult type). Fulton County, Illinois. 12 July 2016.
• Western Gull (adult type). Alamosa County, Colorado. 14 July 2016.
• Continuing from June 2016.
• Laughing Gull (2nd cycle type). Kiowa County, Colorado. 16 July 2016.
• California Gull (2nd summer type). Kenai Peninsula County, Alaska. 17 July 2016.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (1st summer). Glaveston County, Texas. 18 July 2016.
• Western Gull (2nd summer). Washington County, Colorado. 18 July 2016.
• Continuing from June 2016.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (1st & 2nd summer). Washington County, Colorado. 18 July 2016.
• Now with 2-3 birds summering in the state annually. 
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (1st summer). Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. 21 July 2016.
• Continuing from June 2016.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Pierce County, Washington. 21 July 2016.
• Possibly summering. Presumed to be a reoccurring individual from the last several winters.
• Mew Gull (1st summer). Humboldt County, California. 27 July 2016. 

Notes 

• A pair of Bonaparte's Gulls was documented nesting in far northeast Maine. Incubating was observed, but the nest failed. The site (undisclosed) is beyond the southeast terminus of the species' known breeding range. Bonaparte's aren't known to breed anywhere in the lower 48 states.

• Up to 15 Black-legged Kittiwakes are summering in Barnstable County, MA. Although not as spectacular as last July, Cape Cod remains the farthest south this species summers - anywhere in the world! All of the MA birds are 1st summer individuals.

• At least 2 juvenile Sabine's Gulls were seen on a pelagic trip in San Mateo County, CA on 16 July 2016. I was unable to find an earlier date for juvenile SAGU this far south in North America.

• Indiana reported a record high of Bonaparte's for July (and the summer season in general): 133 - all but 2 adults - migrating on Lake Michigan. 30 July 2016. 

July 2016 Quiz

Berrien County, Michigan. 08 November 2015.

Age

The immaculate, fresh, plumage is all juvenile (i.e., 1st basic). The pale edges to the upperparts and pointed primary tips reinforce the fact that these are all 1st generation feathers.

Identification

I don't blame those folks who identified this month's bird as a young Thayer's Gull - indeed, there may be some thayeri that match this. But this isn't a Thayer's.

I identified this month's quiz bird as a juvenile American Herring Gull. The bill seems petite and shorter than usual, although that's likely because it's still growing. Notice how the base of the lower mandible is paling - a subtle hint that this may not be a Thayer's as that species does a better job of keeping a black bill at this age than other large gulls (but it's not terribly uncommon for a 1st cycle Thayer's to show a paling bill, especially late in the winter season before departing north). In Thayer's, the outer primaries are typically paler than the "almost black" appearance seen here, and the edges to those primaries are paler - often more so than the quiz bird. Also, most juvenile Thayer's will show tertials that are a smidgen paler than this.

Here's a more typical appearance for a similar-aged Thayer's Gull:

LaPorte County, Indiana. 27 November 2014.

Note that the outer primaries are more brown (compare with the black bill), with paler proximal edges. The upperwing coverts, too, look more marbled and frosted than in most juvenile Herrings.

The reader will note that the plumage aspect seen on our Herring Gull is one that soon becomes uncommon as December approaches, and certainly so later in the season. We do, however, see some American Herrings that retain this fresh plumage aspect later in the winter, and it's believed these birds - with more durable juvenile plumages - have likely originated from more northern latitudes. Here's one such bird found all the way south in Florida in late January:

Brevard County, Florida. 25 January 2016.

Structurally, the bird is plump and the head is large and blocky, complemented by a heavy bill. The primaries are dark - darker than the bill. Not much about this bird suggests Thayer's Gull.

My purpose in selecting a fresh juvenile Herring for this month's quiz is two-fold: To point out just how immaculate some juvenile American Herrings can look in their hatch year, and two, to emphasize the importance of how a date can greatly aid in the identification process. Without a date, it's difficult to gain any appreciation for seasonal factors such as molt and wear.

Monthly Notables June 2016

• Little Gull (1st summer). Cayuga County, New York. 01 June 2016.
• Western Gull (adult type). Costilla County, Colorado. 04 June 2016.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (1st summer). Portage, Manitoba. 07 June 2016.
• Iceland Gull (1st summer). York County, Maine. 07 June 2016.
• Glaucous Gull (1st summer). Pinelaas County, Florida. 10 June 2016.
• Thayer's Gull (1st summer). Clallam County, Washington. 11 June 2016.
• Franklin's Gull (1st summer type). Barnstable County, Massachusetts. 12 June 2016.
• Western Gull (2nd summer type). Washington County, Colorado. 17 June 2016.
• California Gull (2nd summer type). Kenai Peninsula County, Alaska. 17 June 2016.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (1st summer). Washington County, Colorado. 17 June 2016.
• Franklin's Gull (2nd summer type). Barnstable County, Massachusetts. 23 June 2016.
• Franklin's Gull (1st summer type). Leon County, Florida. 30 June 2016.

June 2016 Quiz

Age

Both of our gulls appear to have mostly new upperparts, although notice some feathers have been dropped and others are actively growing (namely, lesser/greater coverts and lower tertials on the left bird). The tertial patterns appear to be 2nd generation on both individuals, but the outermost primaries that are visible have an old "brownish" aspect. These primaries are juvenile feathers (=1st basic). Therefore we can comfortably assume both birds are molting from 1st to 2nd cycle and are roughly a year old (2nd calendar year).

Identification

The disparity in size among these two individuals will most definitely be a deciding factor in assigning labels. The gull on the left has a genuinely hefty bill and legs with remarkable girth. The head is proportionally large and the body is reminiscent of a duck. All of these structural features, along with the ghost-white head and solid dark upperparts point directly to Great Black-backed Gull. The bird on the right looks like a mini version of the Great Black-backed but with a slimmer bill and more attenuated look to the rear - a classic Lesser Black-backed type. The heavy "grease" stain (or neck boa) on the lower hind-neck of the Lesser Black-backed is often present in this age group.

This photo was taken in Barnstable County, Massachusetts in mid-July. 

Monthly Notables May 2016

• Little Gull (1st cycle). Utah County, Utah. 02 May 2016.
• Only the 6th record for Utah. First county record. First spring occurrence for the state. 
• Laughing Gull (1st cycle). Alameda County, California. 08 May 2016.
• Western Gull (adult type). Sandoval County, New Mexico. 10 May 2016.
• Glaucous Gull (1st cycle). Galveston County, Texas. 12 May 2016.
• Thayer's Gull (2nd cycle). Fremont County, Wyoming. 12 May 2016.
• Only the 12th for Wyoming. Second spring occurrence for the state.
• Iceland Gull (2nd cycle). Portsmouth County, Virginia. 12 May 2016.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (3rd cycle type). Portage, Manitoba. 14 May 2016.
• Laughing Gull (adult). Alamosa County, Colorado. 14 May 2016.
• Black-headed Gull (adult). Aleutians West County, Alaska. 15 May 2016.
• Franklin's Gulls (2 adults). Anchorage, Alaska. 23 May 2016.
• Kelp Gull (adult). San Mateo County, California. 30 May 2016.
• Believed to be the same individual now seen on and off in this region for 13 months.

May 2016 Quiz

All but one of our quiz birds appear to be Bonaparte's Gulls. We can base this on the black ear-spots and small, pointy, thin bills. Laughing and Franklin's Gulls both have darker gray upperparts and noticeably longer and heavier bills.

But what of the smallest bird (second from left) with the more extensive dark cap? This individual is striking and would likely be the first bird to grab your attention in the field. The "extra" amount of black on the cap is interesting but far from diagnostic. Much more important is its apparent size and proportionally smaller bill. Only one species with such a small build fits the profile: Little Gull.

Notice how the Little Gull, and the gulls directly to its left and right have short primary projections. All three of these gulls have dropped and/or are growing new flight feathers (complete prebasic molts). The black mark seen above the Little Gull's tail is a subterminal band on a newly grown primary. Here's an open wing showing this:

In this image, you can see there are a few "old" outertail feathers that have yet to be replaced. Also, the dirty black smudges on the greater primary coverts and other regions of the upperwing all point to a sub-adult. Adult Little Gulls lack black markings on the primary tips. It'll be another year before this one (presumably) takes on a definitive adult plumage aspect. Therefore, we'll age this Little Gull as a 2nd cycle "type".

Manitowoc, Wisconsin on 01 August 2014.

Monthly Notables April 2016

• California Gull (1st cycle). New Haven County, Connecticut. 01 April 2016.
• Continuing first state record, last reported on 16 April.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Pierce County, Washington. 05 April 2016.
• Continuing on rooftop.
• Little Gull (1st cycle). San Diego County, California. 07 April 2016.
• Common Gull (2nd cycle). La Côte-de-Gaspé County, Quebec. 09 April 2016.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Forteau, Labrador. 11 April 2016.
• First record for Labrador.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (1st cycle). Emmet County, Michigan. 12 April 2016.
• Little Gull (adult). St. John's County, Newfoundland. 17 April 2016.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). Clallam County, Washington. 22 April 2016.
• Little Gull (1st cycle). Lake County, Illinois. 23 April 2016.
• Thayer's Gull (adults - 8). Toronto County, Ontario. 23 April 2016.
• A new one-day high count for the Greater Toronto Area. 
• Ross's Gull (1st cycle). Lenawee County, Michigan. 23 April 2016.
• Probable. Upperwing pattern could fit 1st cycle Little Gull or even an odd Black-legged Kittiwake. Most promising is what appears to be a wedged-shaped tail.
• Little Gull (adult). Riverside County, California. 23 April 2016.
• Kelp Gull (adult). San Francisco County, California. 26 April 2016.
• The absence of a p10 mirror suggests this is a reoccurring individual first discovered in San Mateo County in April of 2015.
• Iceland Gull (24). Toronto County, Ontario. 30 April 2016.
• A new one-day high count for the Greater Toronto Area. Various ages. Recorded by Owen Strickland (the same observer who recorded the Thayer's high count for this area on 23 April 2016).

April 2016 Quiz

Age: A number of features on this individual point towards a 2nd cycle gull. This includes the rounded primary tips, the mixture of gray-brown feathers on the upperparts, the marbled greater coverts and white-tipped tertials - all these combined assure us this isn't a 1st cycle gull.


So which North American species look like this in their 2nd plumage cycle? Herring Gull immediately comes to mind, but the bill is awfully thin (and straight) for that species. The gray on the upperparts also looks suspiciously dark for Herring. The dark iris paired with an obvious post-ocular line, noticeable downward gape, thick brown neck-boa and bluish tibia are all diagnostic of no other than a California Gull.


This month's quiz bird was photographed in September, San Mateo County, California.

Monthly Notables March 2016

• Thayer's Gull (adult). St. John's, Newfoundland. 01 March 2016.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (3rd cycle). Humboldt County, California. 02 March 2016.
• Presumably a reoccurring individual returning for the 3rd consecutive winter - photographed in 1st, 2nd and now 3rd basic.
•  Kelp Gull (adult). Summit County, Ohio. 06 March 2016.
• Continuing from December 2015. Seen sporadically on random days.
• Common Gull (adult). St. John's, Newfoundland. 06 March 2016.
• 2 wintering adults - nominate canus.
• Common Gull (adult). Barnstable County, Massachusetts. 13 March 2016.
• Possible 2nd adult occurred here on 26 March 2016 showing darker wingtip pattern.
• Little Gull (1st cycle). Mason County, Illinois. 13 March 2016.
• Two 1st cycle birds seen together here on 25 March 2016.
• Common Gull (adult). Digby County, Nova Scotia. 13 March 2016.
• Apparent Kamchatka Gull. Another individual adding to the "explosion" of records in the northeast part of the continent in the last 2 years.
• Ivory Gull (1st cycle). Rimouski-Neigette County, Quebec. 17 March 2016.
• A flyby bird.
• Mew Gull (adult). New Haven County, Connecticut. 20 March 2016.
• 1st state occurrence of an apparent American Short-billed (brachyrhynchus).
• Common Gull (adult). New Haven County, Connecticut. 20 March 2016.
• Nominate canus seen together with the Short-billed Gull noted above.
• California Gull (1st cycle). New Haven County, Connecticut. 21 March 2016.
• 1st State Record.
• Slaty-backed Gull (2nd cycle). Kodiak Island County, Alaska. 22 March 2016.
• Sabine's Gull (adult). Lincoln County, Oregon. 23 March 2016.
• Heermann's Gull (2nd cycle). Galveston County, Texas. 25 March 2016.
• 4th State Record.
• Franklin's Gull (3). Volusia County, Florida. 28 March 2016.
• 1st winter birds. P-molt out to p3 in one individual with nearly all wing coverts and rectrices replaced.

March 2016 Quiz

The pointed primary tips help age this individual as a 1st cycle. The short, thin legs, and apparent small bill suggest a female type, large white-headed gull. California Gull is ruled out by the all black bill. The darker upperparts look much like a 2nd cycle Lesser Black-baked, but this bird is in its first plumage cycle. In addition, the pale tips to the greater coverts and paler upper scapulars and mantle feathers are wrong for that species. This month's quiz bird is a 1st cycle Herring Gull, photographed in Will County, Illinois on 15 February 2016.

Monthly Notables February 2016

• Yellow-legged gull (adult). Franklin County, Massachusetts. 01 February 2016.
• Probable. Appledore Gull not safely eliminated. No vocalization. The "Turner's Falls" bird generated much debate this month with many European observers suggesting it was indistinguishable from nominate michahellis. An ongoing identification conundrum in North America. Recorded vocalizations should be a priority with these types.  
• Thayer's Gull (1st cycle). Brevard County, Florida. 01 February 2016.
• Thayer's Gull (adult). Cecil County, Maryland. 01 February 2016.
• Black-headed Gull (adult). Snohomish County, Washington. 01 February 2016.
• Appears to be a different individual than the Vancouver bird from last month. It's thought that there were almost certainly 2 different individuals here.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Will County, Illinois. 01 February 2016.
• Continuing from January.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Jefferson County, Wisconsin. 01 February 2016.
• Continuing from January.
• Common Gull (adult). Halifax County, Nova Scotia. 03 February 2016.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult & 1st cycle). Placer County, California. 03 February 2016.
• Kelp Gull (adult). Los Angels County, California. 03 January 2016.
• 4th occurence for California. Appears to be the same individual first discovered in Half Moon Bay (San Mateo County) in May 2015, showing no p10 mirror.
• Glaucous-winged Gull (1st cycle). Salt Lake County, Utah. 04 February 2016.
• Kelp Gull (adult). Summit County, Ohio. 06 February 2016.
• The same adult seen here in December 2015 has resurfaced after going absent in January.
• Black-headed Gull (adult). Metro Vancouver County, British Columbia. 06 February 2016.
• Glaucous Gull (1st cycle). Ralegih NC. 06 Feb 2016.
• Franklin's Gull (adult). Lake County, Illinois. 07 February 2016.
• Alternate plumage.
• Thayer's Gull (adult). Cape May County, New Jersey. 07 February 2016.
• Glaucous Gull (1st cycle). Jefferson County, Louisiana. 07 February 2016.
• Sabine's Gull (1st cycle). St. John's, Newfoundland. 01-08 February 2016.
• Continued from January.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (1st cycle). St. Louis County, Minnesota. 10 February 2016.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult type). Benton County, Washington. 13 February 2016.
• Great Black-backed Gull (3rd cycle type). Mobile County, Alabama. 13 February 2016.
• Kumlien's Iceland Gull (1st cycle). Victoria, British Columbia. 14 February 2016.
• Ivory Gull (1st cycle). Bayfield County, Wisconsin. 17 February 2016.
• Photographed in a backyard on a trampoline. Later reported stealing bait in fishermen huts.
• California Gull (2nd cycle). Volusia County, Florida. 17 February 2016.
• First record of this age group in the state.
• Little Gull (adults/1st cycles). Bruce County, Ontario. 18 February 2016.
• 6 individuals on the shores of Lake Huron.
• Yellow-legged Gull (adult). St. John's, Newfoundland. 18 February 2016.
• California Gull (2nd cycle). Brevard County, Florida. 19 February 2016.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Porter County, Indiana. 20 February 2016.
• 1st county record. A weekend roamer. This adult is the same individual first discovered in Willmington, Illinois on 26 January. It was found at Montrose Harbor in Chicago on a Saturday morning in late January, returned to Willmington for a few more weeks (where it was feeding at a landfill), and then discovered in Burns Harbor, Indiana on 20 February. The bird traveled at least 60 miles in a little less than 2 hours. It's movements appeared to be motivated by two factors: hours of operation at the landfill and the absence of ice at the pond it was using to rest on.
• California Gull (2nd cycle). Lake County, Illinois. 22 February 2016.
• Mew Gull (1st cycle). Knox County, Maine. 01-28 February 2016.
• Continued all month. American Short-billed.

Noteworthy this month is the number of putative GBBG x HERG hybrids reported throughout the Great Lakes region (over 20 individuals in the northeast). Almost all reports and photos are of adults (not surprising as we don't feel comfortable assigning younger birds). Still, there is no clear understanding where these hybrids originate, although the majority seem to be found wintering on the Great Lakes.   

February 2016 Quiz

It's clear we have a hooded gull in what looks like definitive adult plumage. The partial hood suggests the bird is in basic plumage (as opposed to alternate).

The upperparts are relatively dark, helping us narrow down our choices to Sabine's, Franklin's or Laughing Gull. The longer legs could help rule out Sabine's as this a short-legged species that often resembles a shorebird when viewed on land at a distance.

The semi-hood looks similar to the what one may see on a Franklin's in the non-breeding season. However, Laughing Gull can also show this half-hood (depending on how much of the hood has molted in - or out). Further, the white apicals on the primaries may tempt one to call this a Franklin's, but adult Laughings often show white tips to the primaries (especially in late fall/early winter when the feathers are renewed).

The narrow eye crescents, long legs and long wing projection all help identify our quiz bird as a Laughing Gull. Seeing the relatively thick bill with flat, sharply sloped tip, makes the identification much, much easier.

This adult was photographed in Volusia County, Florida on 24 January 2016.

Monthly Notables January 2016

• Ivory Gull (1st cycle). St. Louis County, Minnesota. 01 January 2016.
• 12th State Record. Took a 6 day absence, only to return to Canal Park on 15 January 2016. It was last seen on 24 January appearing weak and on the brink of expiring.
• Mew Gull (1st cycle). Caddo County, Louisiana. 01 January 2016.
• 1st State Record.
• Ivory Gull (1st cycle). Douglas County, Wisconsin. 05 January 2016.
• Just a few miles from the Duluth bird, this individual was found dead. A partial specimen was given to the Field Museum in Chicago.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Pierce County, Washington. 06 January 2016.
• Reoccurring/Continuing. 
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult type). Jefferson County, Wisconsin. 07 January 2016.
• Slaty-backed Gull (3rd cycle type). Walla Walla County, Washington. 08 January 2016.
• First for eastern Washington.
• Kelp Gull (adult). Summit County, Ohio. 10 January 2016.
• Resighted after a ten day absence.
• Thayer's Gull (adult). Horry County, South Carolina. 11 January 2016.
• 1st State Record. Adult showing a single mirror on p10 and none on p9.
• Black-tailed Gull (3rd cycle type). Clinton County, Illinois. 11 January 2016.
• 2nd State Record.
• Mew Gull (sub-adult/3rd cycle type). Lorain County, Ohio. 12 January 2016.
• Ivory Gull (1st cycle). St. Louis County, Minnesota. 12 January 2016.
• Another addition to the Ivory Gull saga in St. Louis County this month. A 1st cycle was found in a backyard in Ely, MN, being mobbed by crows. It was picked up and looked after by rehabbers and then released shortly after. All this while the Canal Park bird was missing in action. No photos were taken of the Ely bird (some 100 miles north of Duluth) and so whether this is a 3rd Ivory Gull or not is unknown. Three days later the Canal Park bird did reappear. 
• Iceland Gull (1st cycle). San Diego County, California. 18 January 2016.
• Mew Gull (1st cycle). Knox County, Maine. 18 January 2016.
• Vega Herring Gull (adult). Cameron County, Texas. 18 January 2016.
• 6th (7th?) State Record.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Contra Costa County, California. 19 January 2016.
• Franklin's Gull (1st cycle). Volusia County, Florida. 19 January 2016.
• California Gull (1st cycle). Kings County, New York. 19 January 2016
• Vega Herring Gull (1st cycle). San Mateo County, California. 20 January 2016.
• Iceland Gull (1st cycle). Brevard County, Florida. 21 January 2016. 
• Common Gull (adult). Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. 25 January 2016.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Solano County, California. 25 January 2016.
• Thayer's Gull (2nd cycle). Northampton County, Pennsylvania. 26 January 2016.
• Black-headed Gull (adult). Vancouver, British Columbia. 26 January 2016.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Will County, Illinois. 26-29 January 2016.
• This same individual was found some 70 miles to the northeast at Montrose Harbor in Chicago on 30 January 2016. It was observed for about an hour before it flew off to the north, not to be seen again. This is now the 20th gull species seen at this site.
• Thayer's Gull (adult). Cecil County, Maryland. 27 January 2016.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. 30 January 2016.
• Photo comparisons suggest this is a different adult than the one observed earlier in the month in Johnson Creek, WI and the individual observed in Illinois.
• Sabine's Gull (1st cycle). St. Vincent's, Newfoundland. 31 January 2016.
• A rare sighting from land. Exceptionally rare in North America in winter.

January 2016 Quiz

Intermediate Thayer's/Kumlien's Gull. Whiting, Indiana. January 2015.

We begin 2016 with classic, large white-headed gull, muddiness. This adult type white-winger evoked some interesting discussions this month. Here were the answers I received from you guys:

• 22 Thayer's Gull
• 14 Kumlien's Iceland Gull
• 3 Herring Gull
• 2 Thayer's/Kumlien's Gull
• 1 Glaucous-winged x Herring

We can rule out Herring Gull - not because of the extensive white on the outer primaries - but by the paleness of the pigment on the outer primaries. Note that some Herring Gulls, particularly in Eastern North America, show reduced black and thayeri wingtips like the individual below. The pigment is a true black:

Florida; January.

Back to our quiz bird. In the field, we'd want to gauge its size by comparing it to other species if possible:

Herring Gulls with Quiz bird (right)

This wasn't a very large gull, averaging smaller than most of the surrounding Herrings. For this reason I've dismissed a Glaucous-winged x Herring Gull hybrid (which can show a similar wingtip). 

It's clear from the photo above that the wingtip is significantly paler than the black shown on the adjacent Herrings. This is outside of my comfort zone for a "pure" Thayer's type. For some people, this would be a perfectly acceptable Kumlien's Iceland Gull, and it very well may be. However, my reason for identifying it as a Thayer's/Kumlien's intermediate type is the extent of black on p5. 

It's currently accepted that the majority of Kumlien's (in core Kumlien's winter range) don't show a complete subterminal band on p5 as is seen here. Further, the amount of pigment bleeding onto the inner webs of p9 and p10 is more reminiscent of what we see in Thayer's Gull. If the wingtip was a shade darker - a more genuine black - I would've readily identified our quiz bird as a Thayer's Gull.

A couple of comments in the answers provided mentioned eye color as a reason why this would be a Kumlien's Gull. It should be known that iris color in both Thayer's and Kumlien's is highly variable - some Kumlien's have dark eyes while some Thayer's have pale eyes. In short, eye color is not a helpful field mark in trying to distinguish these two taxa.

It's not uncommon to find wingtips like this here in the Lake Michigan region and elsewhere in the Great Lakes. These birds are controversial at best, and some gull enthusiasts have recently begun calling them "Lake Michigan Gulls" as they appear to be the center of the divide. Our safest bet is to think of Thayer's/Kumlien's as a continuum rather than trying to pigeon-hole every individual in one box or the other.

Monthly Notables December 2015

• California Gull (adult). Berrien County, Michigan. 01 December 2015.
• Continuing from late November.
• California Gull (1st cycle). Whiteside County, Illinois. 05 December 2015.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (adult). Henry County, Ohio. 05 December 2015.
• Kelp Gull (adult). Summit County, Ohio. 05 December 2015.
• First State Record. Seen on-and-off throughout the month at Springfield Lake. Site used strictly for roosting. Daytime feeding site unknown, although similar to most large gulls wintering inland, a local landfill(s) is the most likely source. Interestingly, this location is within 100 miles of the January 2015 Pittsburgh Kelp Gull (also a 1st for the state of PA).
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (1st cycle). San Diego County, California. 06 December 2015.
• A different 1st cycle than November's bird.
• Black-headed Gull (1st cycle). Kings County, New York, 06 December 2015.
• Mew Gull (1st cycle). Davis County, Utah. 07 December 2015.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (3rd cycle). Okanogan County, Washington. 08 December 2015.
• Franklin's Gull (1st cycle). Dorchester County, Maryland. 10 December 2015. 
• Iceland Gull (adult). Clallam County, Washington. 13 December 2015.
• Red-legged Kittiwake (adult type). Lincoln County, Oregon. 13 December 2015.
• 11th State Record.
• Sabine's Gull (1st cycle). Wayne County, Kentucky. 13 December 2015.
• Little Gull (2 - adult & 1st cycle). Lauderdale County, Alabama. 13 December 2015.
• Franklin's Gull (3 adults). District of Columbia. 16 December 2015.
• Iceland Gull (2nd cycle). Kootenai County, Utah. 17 December 2015.
• Continuing from late November.
• Thayer's Gull (1st cycle). Cecil County, Maryland. 18 December 2015.
• Laughing Gull (adult). Digby County, Nova Scotia. 20 December 2015.
• Common Gull (2 adults). St. John's County, Newfoundland. 20 December 2015.
• Ivory Gull (1st cycle). Whittier, Alaska. 21 December 2015.
• Black-headed Gull (adult). Cuyahoga County, Ohio. 26 December 2015.
• Franklin's Gull (1st cycle). Cuyahoga County, Ohio. 26 December 2015.
• Vega Herring Gull (adult). Volusia County, Florida. 29 December 2015.
• A good candidate that shows no field marks that are out of range for that taxon.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). Yolo County, California. 30 December 2015.
• Likely a returning individual. 
• California Gull (adult). Lake County, Illinois. 31 December 2015.

December 2015 Quiz

Mew Gull. Seattle, Washington. 03 January 2012.

It's obvious that this bird isn't an adult due to the black markings on the tail and primary coverts. The small bill and overall compact proportions immediately steer us into the Ring-billed/Common/Mew Gull arena. In that case this would be a 2nd cycle type as these are 3 year gulls.

Anyone familiar with 2nd cycle Ring-billed Gulls will find the large p10 mirror to be unusual for that species, but much more problematic is the mirror on p9 - this isn't found in 2nd cycle type Ring-billeds. If the color of the upperparts, particularly the back, is true-to-life, then this too should raise doubts about Ring-billed. Ring-billeds generally look paler and more silvery than this flat, dark, gray.

The trailing edge to the secondaries on 2nd cycle type Ring-billeds also appears thinner and less contrasty where the white and gray meet. Here's an example:

A single mirror on p10 and thinner trailing edge to the secondaries.

Given the noticeably thin, petite bill, with large, dark doe-eye, and smudgy hindneck markings, I safely identified this as a Mew Gull (L.c. brachyrhynchus).