31 October 2021

October 2021 Monthly Notables

Sightings:

  • Red-legged Kittiwake (adult). Aleutians West County, Alaska. 01 October 2021.
  • Yellow-footed Gull (1st cycle). San Bernardino, California. 01 October 2021.
    • Continuing AZ bird from Sept 2021, now in California.
  • Little Gull (1st cycle). Bayfield County, Wisconsin. 02 October 2021.
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). San Diego County, California. 02 October 2021.
    • Very likely a returning bird since at least 2017. 
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull (2nd cycle). Calgary County, Alberta. 06 October 2021.
  • Laughing Gull (adult). Arapahoe County, Colorado. 07 October 2021.
  • Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Ottawa County, Ontario. 08 October 2021.
    • First Ottawa Record. Continuing through the end of the month.
  • Sabine's Gull (1st cycle). Lee County, Florida. 09 October 2021.
  • Short-billed Gull (juvenile). Johnson County, Iowa. 13 October 2021.
    • Last Iowa Record January 2012.
  • Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Benton County, Washington. 14 October 2021.
    • A returning adult missing webbing on feet.
  • Ivory Gull (juvenile). North Slope County, Alaska. 15 October 2021.
  • Little Gull (1st cycle). Broomfield County, Colorado. 16 October 2021.
  • Franklin's Gull (2nd cycle type). Kent County, Rhode Island. 16 October 2021.
    • 1st County Record. Apparent 5th State Record for RI.
  • Franklin's Gull (2nd cycle type). Cecil County, Maryland. 17 October 2021.
  • Franklin's Gull (adult). Essex County, Massachusetts. 17 October 2021.
  • Heermann's Gull (3rd cycle). Chatham County, South Carolina. 17 October 2021.
    • Continuing East Coast bird.
  • Slaty-backed Gull (adult). King County, Washington. 19 October 2021.
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult type). Lewis & Clark County, Montana. 20 October 2021.
  • Kumlien's Gull (adult). Central Okanagan District, British Columbia. 24 October 2021.
  • Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Lanark County, Ontario. 24 October 2021.
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). Central Okanagan District, BC. 25 October 2021.
  • Glaucous-winged Gull (1st cycle). Owyhee County, Idaho. 25 October 2021.
  • Glaucous-winged Gull (juvenile). Salt Lake County, Utah. 25 October 2021.
  • Slaty-backed Gull (3rd cycle). Clallam County, Washington. 26 October 2021.
  • Franklin's Gull (adult). Queen Anne's County, Maryland. 26 October 2021.
  • Black-legged Kittiwake (2nd cycle). Nipissing County, Ontario. 26 October 2021.
    • 1st Record for Algonquin Provincial Park - the oldest provincial park in Canada.
  • Iceland Gull (adult). Central Okanagan District, British Columbia. 27 October 2021.
    • A white-winged adult, suggestive of nominate. 
  • Heermann's Gull (1st cycle). Hopewell County, Virginia. 27 October 2021.
    • 3rd State Record (see Notes below). 
  • Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Humphreys County, Tennessee. 28 October. 2021.
    • 1st County Record.
  • California Gull (adult). Berrien County, Michigan. 29 October 2021.
  • Ross's Gull (adult - flyby). Durham County, Ontario. 29 October 2021.
  • Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Clermont County, Ohio. 30 October 2021.
  • Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Polk County, Missouri. 30 October 2021.
  • Sabine's Gull (1st cycle). Polk County, Missouri. 30 October. 2021.
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull (1st cycle). Pinal County, Arizona. 30 October 2021.
    • 1st County Record.

Notes:

1. On 13 October 2021, Skye Christopher G. Haas reported (at least) 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in Marquette County, Michigan at the Dead River mouth. This constitutes an apparent high count for the species on Lake Superior.

2. The 1st cycle Yellow-footed Gull from De Baca County, New Mexico was still present as of 15 October 2021, now with nearly all 1st alternate scapulars. The 1st cycle from Arizona is also lingering, now seen on the California side of Lake Havasu.

3. The 1st cycle Heermann's Gull from Hopewell County, Virginia is likely the same bird first found 30 miles downstream of this site in mid-August 2021 (reported on iNaturalist but mostly slid under the radar). The bird has been lingering at the Hopewell City Marina for weeks, and according to fishermen, has been there since the week of June 21st. Note that this date would be unprecedented for a 1st cycle on the East Coast. A juvenile Laughing Gull can very well be what was seen in late June. Proper documentation desired. There are now 2 Heermann's Gulls on the East Coast -- this 1st cycle, and the long-staying 3rd cycle that's currently in South Carolina.

4. Three Slaty-backed Gulls reported across the state of Washington this month is noteworthy. 

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