February 2024 Monthly Notables

Sightings:

1. Short-billed Gull (adult). Fairfield County, Connecticut. 01 February 2024.
• Presumably a returning individual, found in same flock as Kamchatka Gull.
2. Glaucous-winged Gull (3rd cycle). Tompkins County, New York. 03 February 2024.
• Same individual found in Orange County, NY; Jan 2024.
3. Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Wayne County, Michigan. 03 February 2024.
4. Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Niagara County, Ontario. 04 February 2024.
5. Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Benton County, Washington. 04 February 2024.
• Continuing, returning bird.
6. Thayer's Gull (1st cycle). Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia. 04 February 2024.
7. Black-legged Kittiwake (adult type). Duval County, Florida. 04 February 2024.
8. California Gull (2nd cycle). Galveston County, Texas. 04 February 2024.
9. California Gull (adult). Harris County, Texas. 05 February 2024.
10. Little Gull (1st cycle). Cochise County, Arizona. 06 February 2024.
• Apparent 3rd State Record.
11. Common Gull (adult). Washington County, Maine. 07 February 2024.
12. Great Black-backed Gull (1st cycle). North Okanagan District, British Columbia. 09 February 2024.
13. Black-legged Kittiwake (adult). Dade County, Missouri. 09 February 2024.
14. Yellow-footed Gull (3rd cycle/ad.). Clark County, Nevada. 10 February 2024.
• Continuing. 
15. Sabine's Gull (adult). Clatsop County, Washington. 12 February 2024.
16. Black-legged Kittiwake (adult). Hamilton County, Tennesse. 13 February 2024.
17. California Gull (adult). Dare County, North Carolina. 14 February 2024.
18. California Gull (adult). Harris County, Texas. 16 February 2024.
• A larger and paler individual than that from 05 February 2024.
19. Black-legged Kittiwake (1st cycle). Cameron Parish, Louisiana. 17 February 2024.
20. Glaucous-winged Gull (adult). Sauk County, Wisconsin. 17 February 2024.
• 8th State Record. Same individual found in Lake County, Illinois; Jan 2024.
21. Glaucous Gull (1st cycle). San Diego County, California. 19 February 2024.
22. Thayer's Gull (adult). Virginia Beach County, Virginia. 21 February 2024.
23. Thayer's Gull (2 ad.). Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia. 24 February 2024.
24. California Gull (2nd cycle). Lake County, Illinois. 27 February 2024.
25. Heermann's Gull (5th cycle/ad.). Volusia County, Florida. 29 February 2024.
• Atlantic Coast bird now in 5th alternate plumage.
26. Kamchatka Gull (adult). Fairfield County, Connecticut. 29 February 2024.
• Continuing 

February 2024 Quiz

 

Illinois. December.

Age: A somewhat cryptic plumage aspect that initially suggests 1st cycle. However, looking closely at p10, there is a small mirror seen on both wings. The axillaries are contrastingly pale, which also points away from a 1st cycle, but admittedly, this ties directly with identification discussed below. The pattern on the secondaries on the far wing is plain and irregularly colored, and the tongues on p6-p8 are deep and neatly demarcated, which combine for a 2nd cycle large gull.

Identification: This individual has a fairly small head, gentle bill and apparent small body, making for a docile appearance. The grayish-brown plumage aspect seems uniform and points away from species such as Herring, which are decidedly darker brown with greater contrast throughout. Importantly, the underside to the outer primaries is typical of a "pale-winged" species, such as Iceland and Glaucous-winged. Given the apparent size and structure, and pattern to the upperside of the outer primaries (far wing), we can comfortably rule out Glaucous-winged. 

Our February Quiz bird is a 2nd cycle type Thayer's Gull.