-----Original Message-----
From: Lewis Grove <zugun...@gmail.com>
To: oneidabirds <oneidabi...@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tue, Feb 4, 2014 10:46 pm
Subject: [OneidaBirds] Thayer's Gull, Inner Harbor, Syracuse
Hey all,
I was fortunate to be present at the Inner Harbor just after 4 PM today when
Dave Wheeler picked out a juvenile THAYER'S GULL from among the many gulls
present in the harbor. I've got some notes and link to a few of the more
diagnostic photos further below in my post.
We saw seven gull species total; in addition to the regular three, we found at
least 16 ICELAND GULLS, at least 1 GLAUCOUS (a 1st yr bird), and at least 1
adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED (found at first on the lawn by Sam Hough when he
arrived). Dave really was doing most of the heavy picking here, so he may have
higher numbers for the latter two.
Other highlights in the harbor this evening were the continuing RED-NECKED
GREBE, a handful of REDHEADS, good close looks at HOODED MERGANSERS, GREAT BLUE
HERON, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, FISH CROW, and other harbor regulars.
The Iceland Gulls were fantastic; maybe 10 or more were first-year, ranging
from some very nice pale birds to some worn darker birds. It was really an
excellent chance to study these, as they were often close and actively
swimming, flying or trundling about the ice edges.
As for the Thayer's, Dave was on the bird before I arrived and already thought
it was a good candidate. I'm not much good on gulls myself, and I've never
seen a Thayer's I felt good about - but the features that convinced me on this
bird over nearly two hours of study (and the photos, below) were:
clearly-contrasted two-toned primaries on a spread wing, with darker outer
vanes and pale inner vanes, often appearing dark from the top (when the outer
vane was mostly visible) and nearly entirely silver or grey underneath (when
the inner vane was most visible); fine white edgings on dark brown primaries on
the folded wing when standing; a conspicuous brown tail band; and
dark-brown-centered tertials with paler edges.
Thayer's Gull: http://zugunlew.smugmug.com/Birds/Gulls--Terns/i-9kBfLTj/A
Good birding,
Lewis
--
Lewis Grove
PhD Student, Wildlife Ecology
SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry
(814) 880 - 5667
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