Re: [nysbirds-l] Brooklyn LBBG and thoughts on the Common Gull
Here's a note sent to the people monitoring gulls tagged at the Massachusetts reservoirs along with their response. This is a Ring-billed Gull with *A345* on an orange tag: /- details to state.ma.us -\ *from:* Ben Cacace *to:* ken.macken...@state.ma.us, dan.cl...@state.ma.us *date:* Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 10:11 PM *subject:* Brooklyn, NY: Wing Tagged Gull in Prospect Park I found your addresses on the web concerning the colored wing tagging of the locally common gulls in your area. We recently spotted a tagged sub-adult Ring-billed Gull with an orange wing tag with an "A" over the # "345". The bird was on the Prospect Park lake and the date of the observation was Sunday, 10-Jan-2010. If you could send back any details you have on this gull i.e. when it was tagged with "A345" at Wachusetts Reservoir and if there are any other tags from the USFWS that say where the gull was born this would be most appreciated. All the best. /- response -\ Ben, Thanks for reporting the sighting. We caught this gull for the first time (no previous band) so we don’t know where it was born, but based on data we have received so far in this study; it may have been hatching in Newfoundland. Here is some specific information on A345: Captured 11/18/09 at the Upper Blackstone Water Treatment Facility, Millbury, MA Capture location (GPS): 42.21231, -71.78614 Captured using a rocket net baited with crackers Juvenile ring-billed gull Florescent orange wing-tags: A345 Federal leg band: 0994-03449 Released on site Sightings: This is the first sighting of this gull- Thank you! Thanks again for the sighting, and please let me know if you see it (or others) again. Ken MacKenzie Senior Wildlife Biologist DCR- Division of Water Supply Protection 180 Beaman Street West Boylston, MA 01583 508-792-7423 x313 \- end response -/ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [nysbirds-l] Brooklyn LBBG and thoughts on the Common Gull
Three of the aforementioned Ring billed gulls on Prospect Lake-- all with reddish pink round wing tags-- was reported to Patuxent Bird lab.I only received a reply on two of the three birds. It appears that perhaps all were from the region west of Boston. Here's what I had Two of the birds tag #343 and #318 are from Worcester County,Massachusetts. The third I have not received any info but likely the same region as the other two. here are the full details for both RB Gulls: Band # 0994-06449 2 343 banded 11/18/2009 hatched in 2008 or earlier sex unknown Location banded : Upper Blackstone waste treatment plant,Worcester, Worcester County, Mass (47 miles west from Fenway Park, Boston ) coordinates lat 42.21556 long -71.78806 ^^ band # 0994-03425 318 banded 11/04/2009 hatched in 2008 or earlier sex unknown location banded: Northborough, Worcester County, Mass -coordinates 42.28444; long -71.65556(39 miles west of Boston) Both birds Banded by :Dr Tom French ,State of Masachusetts-Nongame Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Route 135 Westborough, MA 01581 3337 Good birding, Peter Brooklyn Bird Club _http://peters-prospect-bird-sightings.blogspot.com/_ (http://peters-prospect-bird-sightings.blogspot.com/) -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [nysbirds-l] Brooklyn LBBG and thoughts on the Common Gull
Let me thank Doug for a fascinating post. Evidently these wing-tagged Ring-billed Gulls can tell us a lot about the local movements of wintering gulls within our area, and I'd encourage everyone to share their sightings publicly, so that we can piece things together. Of course details should also be submitted to the folks who marked the birds in the first place so that they can learn more about the larger scale movements. I'm also glad to learn that the Common Gull is still around. It is often hard to keep track of departure dates because people just stop reporting even when they have positive sightings. So again, a simple post now and again if you spot will be helpful. It's always fun to ponder where individual birds are when they are not being seen at their favored spots. The idea that these gulls are traveling inland to the freshwater lake in Prospect Park is not entirely surprising but something like a Common Gull is hard to pick out, especially if the numbers of very similar looking gulls are large. Let's see what the Prospect regulars can come up with. As Doug has suggested, the marked Ring-billed Gulls can probably be used as more easily found surrogates. So where is A318 and if so, is the Common Gull nearby? Finding and reporting marked bird (geese, gulls etc) is always fun and even if you are more intent on the rarity, finding them keeps you on your toes and keeps you looking that much harder. -- Angus Wilson New York City & The Springs, NY, USA http://birdingtotheend.blogspot.com/ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [nysbirds-l] Brooklyn LBBG and thoughts on the Common Gull
I meant to post about this earlier in the week, but Rob's find today presents as fitting an opportunity as any, so here goes. On Tuesday while sorting through the 2400 Ring-billed Gulls (accompanied by ~100 Herring and only 2-3 GBBG) I came across 3 wing-tagged Ring-billed Gulls. They included two immature birds A318, and A306 (A306 was present on the lake along with the adult LBBG this afternoon), and an adult bird A366. I have seen this adult at least 3 other times this winter, although not on Prospect Lake. It was present at Gravesend Bay on December 27, at Coney Island beach January 26 and back at Gravesend Bay again January 31. Also looking back at my photos just now I realize I also saw A318 at Gravesend Bay on December 28. Since the Common (Mew) Gull is absent from its Gravesend Bay roosting/resting area for large chunks of time it makes sense that Prospect Lake would be a good spot to check for it. A318 was actually hanging out with the Common Gull back on December 28th, so specific birds that it has been directly associating with at Gravesend are spending at least some time on Prospect Lake. So anybody looking for Gulls on Prospect Lake shouldn't just pass over the Ring-billeds there (not that they should anyway, but I know I certainly do a lot of the time, especially when looking for something specific and not similar like Lesser Black-backed or Black-headed) too quickly. As for the Common Gull's whereabouts, I believe Shane said he had it (for his 10th or so time) on the rocks at Gravesend today, so it's certainly still around. Good Birding -Doug Gochfeld. Brooklyn, NY. -Original Message- From: Rob Jett To: NYSBirds Sent: Fri, Feb 5, 2010 3:57 pm Subject: [nysbirds-l] Brooklyn LBBG At 2:15pm today I spotted a Lesser Black-backed Gull on Prospect Lake in Prospect Park. Nearly the entire lake is frozen with only a small opening along the western edge of the lake by West Lake Drive and Wellhouse Drive. When I first observed the bird it was on the ice at the edge of the water only about 30 feet from the shore. At one point it flew into the water and bathed within a group of mostly Ring-billed Gulls and several Herring Gulls. It was still present when I left at around 3:15pm and being viewed by Doug Gochfeld, Rob Bate and Shane Blodgett. I'll post some photos and a video on my blog later this evening. The frozen lake is a favored roosting spot for gulls with numbers sometimes approaching a few thousand individuals. On rare occasions it pays off to scan the mostly ring-billed population for something different. If you go by car, the closest entrance to the lake is Prospect Park Southwest and Vanderbilt Street. Good birding, Rob The City Birder Weblog http://citybirder.blogspot.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [nysbirds-l] Brooklyn LBBG and thoughts on the Common Gull
I meant to post about this earlier in the week, but Rob's find today presents as fitting an opportunity as any, so here goes. On Tuesday while sorting through the 2400 Ring-billed Gulls (accompanied by ~100 Herring and only 2-3 GBBG) I came across 3 wing-tagged Ring-billed Gulls. They included two immature birds A318, and A306 (A306 was present on the lake along with the adult LBBG this afternoon), and an adult bird A366. I have seen this adult at least 3 other times this winter, although not on Prospect Lake. It was present at Gravesend Bay on December 27, at Coney Island beach January 26 and back at Gravesend Bay again January 31. Also looking back at my photos just now I realize I also saw A318 at Gravesend Bay on December 28. Since the Common (Mew) Gull is absent from its Gravesend Bay roosting/resting area for large chunks of time it makes sense that Prospect Lake would be a good spot to check for it. A318 was actually hanging out with the Common Gull back on December 28th, so specific birds that it has been directly associating with at Gravesend are spending at least some time on Prospect Lake. So anybody looking for Gulls on Prospect Lake shouldn't just pass over the Ring-billeds there (not that they should anyway, but I know I certainly do a lot of the time, especially when looking for something specific and not similar like Lesser Black-backed or Black-headed) too quickly. As for the Common Gull's whereabouts, I believe Shane said he had it (for his 10th or so time) on the rocks at Gravesend today, so it's certainly still around. Good Birding -Doug Gochfeld. Brooklyn, NY. -Original Message- From: Rob Jett citybir...@earthlink.net To: NYSBirds NYSBirds-L@cornell.edu Sent: Fri, Feb 5, 2010 3:57 pm Subject: [nysbirds-l] Brooklyn LBBG At 2:15pm today I spotted a Lesser Black-backed Gull on Prospect Lake in Prospect Park. Nearly the entire lake is frozen with only a small opening along the western edge of the lake by West Lake Drive and Wellhouse Drive. When I first observed the bird it was on the ice at the edge of the water only about 30 feet from the shore. At one point it flew into the water and bathed within a group of mostly Ring-billed Gulls and several Herring Gulls. It was still present when I left at around 3:15pm and being viewed by Doug Gochfeld, Rob Bate and Shane Blodgett. I'll post some photos and a video on my blog later this evening. The frozen lake is a favored roosting spot for gulls with numbers sometimes approaching a few thousand individuals. On rare occasions it pays off to scan the mostly ring-billed population for something different. If you go by car, the closest entrance to the lake is Prospect Park Southwest and Vanderbilt Street. Good birding, Rob The City Birder Weblog http://citybirder.blogspot.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [nysbirds-l] Brooklyn LBBG and thoughts on the Common Gull
Let me thank Doug for a fascinating post. Evidently these wing-tagged Ring-billed Gulls can tell us a lot about the local movements of wintering gulls within our area, and I'd encourage everyone to share their sightings publicly, so that we can piece things together. Of course details should also be submitted to the folks who marked the birds in the first place so that they can learn more about the larger scale movements. I'm also glad to learn that the Common Gull is still around. It is often hard to keep track of departure dates because people just stop reporting even when they have positive sightings. So again, a simple post now and again if you spot will be helpful. It's always fun to ponder where individual birds are when they are not being seen at their favored spots. The idea that these gulls are traveling inland to the freshwater lake in Prospect Park is not entirely surprising but something like a Common Gull is hard to pick out, especially if the numbers of very similar looking gulls are large. Let's see what the Prospect regulars can come up with. As Doug has suggested, the marked Ring-billed Gulls can probably be used as more easily found surrogates. So where is A318 and if so, is the Common Gull nearby? Finding and reporting marked bird (geese, gulls etc) is always fun and even if you are more intent on the rarity, finding them keeps you on your toes and keeps you looking that much harder. -- Angus Wilson New York City The Springs, NY, USA http://birdingtotheend.blogspot.com/ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [nysbirds-l] Brooklyn LBBG and thoughts on the Common Gull
Three of the aforementioned Ring billed gulls on Prospect Lake-- all with reddish pink round wing tags-- was reported to Patuxent Bird lab.I only received a reply on two of the three birds. It appears that perhaps all were from the region west of Boston. Here's what I had Two of the birds tag #343 and #318 are from Worcester County,Massachusetts. The third I have not received any info but likely the same region as the other two. here are the full details for both RB Gulls: Band # 0994-06449 2 343 banded 11/18/2009 hatched in 2008 or earlier sex unknown Location banded : Upper Blackstone waste treatment plant,Worcester, Worcester County, Mass (47 miles west from Fenway Park, Boston ) coordinates lat 42.21556 long -71.78806 ^^ band # 0994-03425 318 banded 11/04/2009 hatched in 2008 or earlier sex unknown location banded: Northborough, Worcester County, Mass -coordinates 42.28444; long -71.65556(39 miles west of Boston) Both birds Banded by :Dr Tom French ,State of Masachusetts-Nongame Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Route 135 Westborough, MA 01581 3337 Good birding, Peter Brooklyn Bird Club _http://peters-prospect-bird-sightings.blogspot.com/_ (http://peters-prospect-bird-sightings.blogspot.com/) -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [nysbirds-l] Brooklyn LBBG and thoughts on the Common Gull
Here's a note sent to the people monitoring gulls tagged at the Massachusetts reservoirs along with their response. This is a Ring-billed Gull with *A345* on an orange tag: /- details to state.ma.us -\ *from:* Ben Cacace *to:* ken.macken...@state.ma.us, dan.cl...@state.ma.us *date:* Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 10:11 PM *subject:* Brooklyn, NY: Wing Tagged Gull in Prospect Park I found your addresses on the web concerning the colored wing tagging of the locally common gulls in your area. We recently spotted a tagged sub-adult Ring-billed Gull with an orange wing tag with an A over the # 345. The bird was on the Prospect Park lake and the date of the observation was Sunday, 10-Jan-2010. If you could send back any details you have on this gull i.e. when it was tagged with A345 at Wachusetts Reservoir and if there are any other tags from the USFWS that say where the gull was born this would be most appreciated. All the best. /- response -\ Ben, Thanks for reporting the sighting. We caught this gull for the first time (no previous band) so we don’t know where it was born, but based on data we have received so far in this study; it may have been hatching in Newfoundland. Here is some specific information on A345: Captured 11/18/09 at the Upper Blackstone Water Treatment Facility, Millbury, MA Capture location (GPS): 42.21231, -71.78614 Captured using a rocket net baited with crackers Juvenile ring-billed gull Florescent orange wing-tags: A345 Federal leg band: 0994-03449 Released on site Sightings: This is the first sighting of this gull- Thank you! Thanks again for the sighting, and please let me know if you see it (or others) again. Ken MacKenzie Senior Wildlife Biologist DCR- Division of Water Supply Protection 180 Beaman Street West Boylston, MA 01583 508-792-7423 x313 \- end response -/ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
