Today Andrew Keaveney and I birded from Port Burwell to Port Stanley in hopes
of seeing the Black-tailed Gull. Very few large gulls were visible anywhere
along the lakeshore for the better part of the day. Around 11:45, we parked at
the east side of the harbour at Port Stanley, giving us excellent views of the
breakwater. From 11:45 throughout the remainder of the day, large gulls flew in
from the lake, mainly Herring and Ring-billed, with small numbers of Great
Black-backed. At approximately 1:55 PM, a fishing boat approached the harbour
mouth and a large number of gulls were swarming around it. I picked up an
adult-plumaged Black-tailed Gull (no doubt the same bird that has been seen
recently), and got Andrew Keaveney on the bird, as well as Eric Jefferies (sp.)
who was from St. Mary's. This bird's flight was very distinctive, and the black
subterminal band was very obvious immediately. At one point the bird even
landed on the fishing boat. Once the boat entered the harbour, the gull circled
back and headed back out towards a second boat which was also approaching the
harbour. The three of us watched it swarm around the boat for 3-5 minutes
before the bird headed back out to the lake. Again, at 3:00 PM, a third boat
approached the harbour, and once again the Black-tailed Gull was flying around
it with other gulls. We eventually lost the gull as it headed back out over the
lake once the boat entered the harbour. Some key characteristics we noticed on
this bird:
Mantle colour: darker than California, slightly paler than Lesser Black-backed
Wide black subterminal band, with thin white tip
short tail and rather long-winged
Very little white on primaries
White head with some streaking/smudging on the nape
Size - smaller than surrounding Herring Gulls, around the same size if not
slightly larger than the Ring-billed Gulls
Also present were:
3 Lesser Black-backed Gull (2 ad., 1 1st winter)
3 Little Gull (adult). Flying with the Bonaparte's.
30+ Great Black-backed Gull
While this was a new bird for me, Andrew has extensive experience with this
species in Asia.
Also, the Brant was visible feeding on the lawn near the East Pier at Port
Burwell.
Good birding,
Josh Vandermeulen
Directions:
Exit #177 HWY 4 south (Colonel Talbot Road) just west of London. Follow HWY 4
past St. Thomas all the way down to Port Stanley. The harbour/breakwater can be
viewed from various locations. We viewed it from the end of main St. There is a
parking lot just east of the end of Main St.
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