Joe Roller responded (excellently, I might add) that: "Your post implies but does not state that there are always more 1st cycle gulls in the world in contrast to 2nd and 3rd cycle gulls because of mortality at each age. A first cycle gull in winter has only had to survive this cruel world for less than a year, but 2nd year gulls have had to survive an additional 12 months, and so on."
Thanks Joe! You are quite right! Joey Kellner Littleton, CO On Feb 5, 8:37 am, Joey Kellner <[email protected]> wrote: > That's a good question Pete! I've got a quick-n-dirty answer. > > Immatures are 1) easily spotted (aka noticed) because of their darker > plumage and 2) are more easily confused/lost when it comes to > migrating. Hence immature birds are more likely to be found and > noticed by birders. > > 2nd and 3rd year birds have already migrated once or twice and are not > as likely to continue to be "lost" when it comes to their northward > and southward movements. On top of that sadly, not many birders look > at and try to identify 2nd and 3rd year birds. These two plumages > (2nd & 3rd) are the rarest of plumages seen since the birds only > retain these plumages for a single year (out of 5, 10, 15+ years). > > Adults have migrated multiple times and have "learned" (right or > wrong) where to go and how to get there. Of the "rare" gulls the most > likely birds to get lost and show up in Colorado would be 1st year > birds. After that I would say that adults would be most likely since > there are more gulls in an adult plumage aged anywhere from 4-15 or so > years old. As you can see there are many years worth of adults that > could show up and only one year each for a 1st, 2nd or 3rd cycle bird > to show up and be identified. > > My $.02 for what its worth. > > Joey Kellner > Littleton, CO > > On Feb 5, 8:18 am, Peter Plage <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > My first reaction to Ted's post is that maybe Social Services should be > > contacted if he is making his children look at immature gulls ;-) Hey > > what's the deal with all the 1st cycle birds as opposed to year 2 and > > later? Do they not make it to their 2nd year or is this a case birds > > wintering at different locations based on age? > > > Pete Plage > > Broomfield > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > Begin forwarded message: > > > > From: Ted Floyd <[email protected]> > > > Date: February 4, 2011 9:23:09 PM MST > > > To: cobirds <[email protected]> > > > Subject: [cobirds] Gulls at Valmont Reservoir, Boulder County, Feb. 4th > > > Reply-To: [email protected] > > > > Hello, Birders. > > > > Elena Klaver and Hannah and Andrew and I had a great time gulling at > > > Valmont Reservoir early this evening, Friday, February 4th. We saw: > > > > 5 first-cycle Thayer's Gulls > > > 4 first-cycle Lesser Black-backed Gulls > > > 1 second-cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull > > > 1 third-cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull > > > 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull > > > 1 first-cycle Glaucous Gull > > > 1 adult Glaucous Gull > > > 1 adult Mew Gull > > > 50+ Herring Gulls > > > 10,000+ Ring-billed Gulls > > > > Although that's a great gull tally, it's pretty much what we were > > > expecting, what with the deep freeze earlier in the week. As long as it > > > stays cold, gulling should remain excellent at Valmont. > > > > (The Tundra Swan decoy still is present.) > > > > ------------------------------- > > > > Ted Floyd > > > Editor, Birding > > > > Blog:http://tinyurl.com/2g2staq > > > > Twitter:http://tinyurl.com/2ejzlzv > > > > Facebook:http://tinyurl.com/2wkvwxs > > > > ------------------------------- > > > > -- > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > > "Colorado Birds" group. > > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > [email protected]. > > > For more options, visit this group > > > athttp://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.-Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
