Over the past weekend (11-26, 11-27) gulls at Black Dog Lake (Dakota Co.) included: adult Lesser Black-backed Gull (probably the same bird seen occasionally earlier this month at L. Calhoun); adult Franklin's Gull (ditto); and several Thayer's Gulls (at least 5 on 11-26: 3 adults, 1st & 2nd winter). On 11-25 there was an interesting partially (and asymmetrically) leucistic adult Ring-billed Gull at Black Dog (west end, river). Primaries on the gull's right wing lacked any black (all very pale gray / white) and the wing appeared superficially similar to that of an Iceland Gull. The left wing was similar but had normal black on primaries 7-8. Coverts/mantle were variegated--partly normal gray, partly pale gray. The rest of the plumage and soft part colors were normal. Also, the Ross's Goose was still present on L. Hiawatha (Minneapolis) on 11-27, even though the lake was mostly frozen.
Bruce A. Fall, Minneapolis
