Monthly Notables April 2018

Sightings-

• California Gull (1st cycle). Volusia County, Florida. 06 April 2018.
• Apparently the same individual seen here in February 2018.
• Black-headed Gull (adult). New Hanover County, North Carolina. 08 April 2018.
• Little Gull (adult). Sangamon County, Illinois. 11 April 2018.
• Common Gull (adult). Barnstable County, Massachusetts. 14 April 2018.
• Mew Gull (adult). Norfolk County, Massachusetts. 15 April 2018.
• 1st county record. Perhaps the first well-documented brachyrhynchus for the state.
• Common Gull (adult). Norfolk County, Massachusetts. 15 Aril 2018.
• Blue leg band, 747, on left leg, originating from Iceland. This individual was seen on the same stretch of beach with the Mew Gull above. See here. Not to be confused with the metal-banded Common Gull also originating from Iceland.
• Mew Gull (adult). Schenectady County, New York. 15 April 2018.
• Apparent 1st county record.
• Great Black-backed Gull (1st cycle). Burleigh County, North Dakota. 17 April 2018.
• Little Gull (adult). Ingham County, Michigan. 18 April 2018.
• Mew Gull (1st cycle). Scott County, Iowa. 18 April 2018.
• Black-headed Gull (adult). Warren County, Pennsylvania. 19 April 2018.
• Mew Gull (adult). Keith County, Nebraska. 21 April 2018.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (2nd cycle). San Mateo County, California. 24 April 2018.
• Distinct bird with missing left foot.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (1st cycle). Cameron Parish, Louisiana. 24 April 2018.
• Franklin's Gull (adult). Robert Cliché County, Quebec. 27 April 2018.
• Ivory Gull (adult). Nome County, Alaska. 28 April 2018.
• Slaty-backed Gull (2nd cycle). Camrose-Lloydminister County, Alberta. 29 April 2018.
• Apparent 1st record for Edmonton region. 
• Little Gull (adult). Sullivan County, New Hampshire. 30 April 2018.

April 2018 Quiz

Age: The gray back and proximal wing coverts suggest an adult bird, but which species?

Identification: Note that Bonaparte's is easily ruled out due to the white trailing edge. Black-legged Kittiwake would be a good guess, but the pattern on the upperwings and primaries contradicts its age. That is, only a young Black-legged Kittiwake would show the white triangle seen here, but it would be coupled with a black carpal bar. Also, traces of a black tailband would be present if it were the more common kittiwake.

From the looks of it, this appears to be a "smaller" gull, mostly recalling Sabine's Gull. But there are some small, subtle, features on this bird that nail the identification: Notice the white sliver on the outer scapulars on the right wing. Zooming in, there is a thin white partition between the scaps and upperwing coverts. This is not found in any Sabine's Gull, but is found in Swallow Tailed-Gull. And. And. And...last, but not least...adult Sabine's have black-ish legs - not the relatively bright pink legs seen in the photo above. 

I think we can be sure that if we ever saw our April Quiz bird, head included, we'd have no trouble agreeing on Swallow-tailed Gull.

Swallow-tailed Gull. Everett, Washington. 02 September 2017.