After hearing about Ken and Jay's interesting gull I decided to meet Jessie at Stewart Park where we were eventually able to see what we are fairly confident is the same interesting gull (based on some photos that Ken sent me while I was there--THANK KEN!). The pattern of replacement in the wing coverts and tail appear identical to my eyes. We had the luxury of seeing this bird in direct comparison with an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and was able to get some video, which you can see at the link below. The side-by-side comparison has made me believe that this is a Lesser Black-backed Gull.
https://vimeo.com/39164762 I'm reminded again how troublesome second and third-year Lesser Black-backed Gulls can be. They usually are bit paler mantled, and it seems as if they often appear a bit shorter-winged. I believe what was once the first or second record of Slaty-backed Gull for Ontario was in fact also a Lesser Black-backed Gull and accepted by the entire Ontario Records committee -- just to give an idea of how challenging these birds can be. I think part of this impression is due to the extensive black tip to the bill of second-year Lesser Black-backed Gull, which creates the impression that they are bigger-billed than they really are. Nevertheless, I think if you look at the video where it is interacting with an adult Lesser Black-backed it has an extremely similar structure. I hope this will clear up any confusion. You'll note some differences in aging as well. Aging second and third-year gulls is far more complicated than standard field guides have room to illustrate. Not, however, the extensive pattern of brown in the wings and the tail pattern are normal for a 2nd-year Lesser Black-backed Gull not a third year which I belive would have much more extensive slaty feathers in the wings. There were, in fact, 4 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 1 second-year bird at Stewart this evening! Pretty amazing. This makes 5 spankingly handsome breeding Lesser Black-backed Gulls (and a second-year) presumably all heading north over Cayuga Lake today and dropped by the weather (Tim had one farther north too -- not the wintering one). I wonder where they are going and why they appear to be taking this inland route. Perhaps there is a US breeding ground and perhaps it is father west than we have tended to assume. I also uploaded some video of courting Bufflehead. Courting ducks in general are among the most captivating birds there are and Bufflehead may well be in a league of their own. I took the video below up at Long Point yesterday. Do yourself a favor in the next week or two and head to the lake and find some Bufflehead. Instead of passing your scope over them to find Long-tailed Ducks, stop and watch them. Right now they are at there best! At the very least, check out the video. Then call in sick tomorrow and go find some Bufflehead! (NOT YOU TIM LENZ, we have work to do!!) https://vimeo.com/39138904 Finally, I also uploaded some video of Pine Warbler from Monkey Run. https://vimeo.com/39080251 If you explore elsewhere there are some videos of a Red-tailed Hawk eating a Common Loon, millions or Red-winged Blackbirds and some other stuff. Anyway, THANKS Ken for getting the word out about the gull. Certainly an interesting bird. I'm sure I would have been confused had a few adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls not dropped in. Good birding, Chris Wood PS - A couple other weekend highlights included a VERY EARLY singing male Yellow Palm Warbler at the odd locale of Mackenzie Childs Bluffs. I also saw and heard Red Crossbill (I believe type 1) along Station Road near the big pulloff above where you typically enter to go look for Worm-eating Warblers by walking the ridge line to Lindsay Parsons. -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
