Thanks to Langis Sirois, the following is from the Quebec list, more details may be on Vermont birds
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 10:09:37 -0400 From: Pierre Bannon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Bonjour Je vous transmets rapidement ce message de Matt Medler. Matt m'informe qu'un GOÉLAND À QUEUE NOIRE a été observé hier et à nouveau ce matin à Charlotte, Vermont. Cette localité est située au sud de Burlington à environ 2 heures de route de Montréal. Vous trouverez dans les messages suivants plus de détails et une carte indiquant l'endroit exact. À la prochaine Pierre Bannon [EMAIL PROTECTED] Photos http://pbase.com/pbannon Le miroiseur informé http://pages.videotron.com/pbannon/index.htm ____________________________________________ ________________________________________ From: Matthew Medler [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 19 octobre, 2005 09:51 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Black-tailed Gull near Burlington, Vermont Pierre, I have been meaning to introduce myself to you for some time, as I read (or attempt to read) your messages to Ornitho-QC with great interest--they are of a very high level that I grew accustomed to while working at the Lab of Ornithology and birding in Ithaca, NY. I am writing now because I thought that you and others on the Ornitho-QC listserve might be interested in the sighting of a Black-tailed Gull on Lake Champlain both yesterday and today. I will include my two messages to the Vermont listserve below--feel free to forward and/or translate them for Ornitho-QC. Unfortunately, I do not (yet) speak French, so I am unable to do so myself. Best regards, Matt Medler Charlotte, VT P.S. For links to photos, visit the VTBird section of birdingonthe.net: http://www.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/VTBD.html Subject: BLACK-TAILED GULL on Lake Champlain From: Matthew Medler <mdm2 AT cornell.edu> Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 12:20:02 -0700 (PDT) Earlier this afternoon (18 October 2005), Julie Hart discovered a gull at Charlotte Town Beach, Charlotte, Vermont, that I strongly believe is a BLACK-TAILED GULL. The bird is still present as I write this message. Here is a brief description of the bird: Similar in size to the Ring-billed Gulls with which it is associating Dark gray mantle, noticeably darker than Ring-billed Gull Relatively long, straight bill with bright reddish tip, bordered by black ring, then yellowish-greenish on rest of bill (to base) Heavily-streaked/smudged head, especially on nape; smudging blackish/charcoal color; darkest smudging on nape, then extending forward towards neck, forming a fairly distinct semi-collar White tail with very distinct black sub-terminal band Black primaries with at least five showing small amounts of white on the tip Broad white trailing edge on inner half of wings Yellow legs Yellow iris Those are the major points that Julie Hart, Ted Murin, and I observed on this bird. They are now attempting to photograph/videotape the bird. Since we are all unfamiliar with this species, we would welcome any identification comments from gull experts. Good birding, Matt Medler Charlotte, VT Subject: Black-tailed Gull Update From: Matthew Medler <mdm2 AT cornell.edu> Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 06:05:06 -0700 (PDT) I stopped by Charlotte Town Beach very briefly this morning (19 October 2005) at 8:15 a.m. Dick Lavallee and a few other birders were present, and they *have seen* the Black-tailed Gull this morning. It was not visible during my brief stay, but they believed that the bird is still in the area. Earlier in the morning, they observed it attempting to land on a small concrete pier that is slightly north of the town beach. The Ring-billed Gulls in the area would not allow it to land there, so it ended up on a grassy area near the base of the pier. Dick and others temporarily took their eyes of the bird, and when they went to look for it again, they did not see it. However, they do not think that the bird flew away. Instead, they think that it is probably just on the far side of the pier, out of view from the town beach. If I receive any additional updates, I will post them. The following is a link to a "big picture" map of the Burlington area, with the village of Charlotte marked with a red star: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?searchtype=address&country=US&addtohist ory=&searchtab=home&address=&city=charlotte&state=vt&zipcode Zooming in two levels provides the detail necessary to follow roads to the town beach. From the red star, go west a short distance on Ferry Road until the intersection with Lake Road. Turn right (go north) on Lake Road and follow it until you come to a 25 mph zone and then go under a covered bridge. The parking lot for the town beach is on your right almost immediately after coming out of the covered bridge. Good luck! Matt Medler -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .
