Monthly Notables November 2019

Sightings:

• Franklin's Gull (1st cycle). Monroe County, Florida. 01 November 2019.
• Black-tailed Gull (adult). San Francisco County, California. 01 November 2019.
• Continuing from October 2019 on South Farallon Islands.
• California Gull (2nd cycle). St. Louis County, Minnesota. 03 November 2019.
• Sabine's Gull (juvenile). Vaudreuil-Soulanges County, Quebec. 05 November 2019.
• Little Gull (adult). Macon County, Illinois. 06 November 2019.
• Laughing Gull (1st cycle). Marion County, Indiana. 06 November 2019.
• California Gull (adult). Galveston County, Texas. 06 November 2019.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (adult). Taylor County, Texas. 08 November 2019.
• P9 half grown; P10 just emerging beyond p-coverts.
• Great Black-backed Gull (adult). Pubelo County, Colorado. 08 November 2019.
• Believed to be a returning individual for the 26th consecutive winter.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Larimer County, Colorado. 09 November 2019.
• Little Gull (adult). Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. 10 November 2019.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (adult). Clark County, Nevada. 10 November 2019.
• Kamchatka Gull (adult). Beauce-Sartigan County, Quebec. 04 November 2019.
• 4th Province Record. This follows a 3rd province record from August 2019.
• Little Gull (adult). Macon County, Illinois. 06 November 2019.
• California Gull (adult). Galveston County, Texas. 08 November 2019.
• Ivory Gull (adult). East Kootenay District, British Columbia. 10 November 2019.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Cedar County, Nebraska. 16 November 2019.
• Franklin's Gull (1st cycle). Skagit County, Washington. 08 November 2019.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Brant County, Ontario. 19 November 2019.
• Black-headed Gull (adult). Cape May County, New Jersey. 19 November 2019.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). King County, Washington. 19 November 2019.
• Heermann's Gull (1st cycle). Miami-Dade County, Florida. 19 November 2019.
• 1st County Record. Likely the same individual from Brevard County.
• Franklin's Gull (1st cycle). Norfolk County, Massachusetts. 22 November 2019.
• Mew Gull (adult). Bristol County, Massachusetts. 22 November 2019.
• Apparent L.c. brachyrhynchus. 1st County Record.
• Western Gull (3rd cycle). Nueces County, Texas. 22 November 2019.
• Suspected to be the same individual found in Port Aransas last October - then a 2nd cycle. 6th State Record, pending acceptance. 
• Glaucous Gull (1st cycle). Duval County, Florida. 23 November 2019.

November 2020 Quiz

Age: To age this apparent, large, four-year gull, note the pointed tips as well as dark subterminal diamonds to the innermost primaries (1st generation). The primary coverts are nicely ornamented with pale-edged tips. The plumage is crisp and well-patterned with largely dark wing linings. We can safely label our subject a 1st cycle.

Identification: For identification, we will begin by focusing on the bill. This individual has an enormously stout bill which nicely complements a large blocky head. The tail has a thin, weakly patterned tailband with contrasting uppertail coverts. The body is barrel-shaped and appears heavy. The upperparts are peppered black-and-white with some checkering. Important, also, is to make out the overall white ground color to the entire plumage - which is very conspicuous throughout the body. Piecing together a bird this checkered, with such broad wings shouldn't be problematic. Our November gull is a 1st cycle Great Black-backed Gull.

23 people submitted answers this month and all identified this bird correctly!! Thanks for the comments!

March; Lake County, Indiana.