A group of nine birders from Ontario and NY found a SLATY-BACKED GULL just before noon today. We had a lengthy study of it perched and doing short flights, seeing all of the field marks. It was too distant for flight shots but we got some digiscoped images of it while perched. It appears to be an adult but has a noticeable black mark on the lower mandible that extends well up onto the upper mandible. This is more black on the bill for an adult than typical but I don't think it is that unusual. The bird was seen from the control gates pull-off on the Ontario side. The Slaty-backed was out on the close edge of the large island with many other gulls. We had comparisons with Great and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. After watching it for close to an hour, it disappeared behind some geese and gulls and when they moved on, the Slaty-backed was gone.
Congratulations to Kim Hartquist, who asked me to look at this bird in her scope - I'm glad she did! Thanks to Jean Iron who was with us, for posting to the Ontario list. I tried sending a text alert to WNYBIRDS but I don't know if it was successful. Also here, first and second-winter GLAUCOUS GULLS, 2-3 ICELAND GULLS, and several LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS. We were unable to find the previously reported California Gull at Adam Beck, the roosting rocks, or from the control gates. Good birding! Willie ------------------ Willie D'Anna Betsy Potter Wilson, NY dannapotterATroadrunner.com http://www.betsypottersart.com <http://www.betsypottersart.com/> _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
