Late this afternoon on Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, Hennepin County I had the pleasure of observing a Lesser Black-backed Gull. It was on the south-west side of the lake standing on the fishing pier that has been moved out into the lake for winter. What a fun way to see this LBBG standing next to Ring-billed and Herring Gulls for side by side size comparison. Then there was the added bonus of seeing those yellow legs and feet for a change, and the dark slate-grey upperparts were a sharp contrast to its unmarked snow white underparts and tail. The bill was bright yellow, with only a bright red gonydeal spot no other dark markings were visible. The irides were light, and the head and hindneck was streaked brown. A great way to watch the sun set at the end of the day here in the Metro!
Also on the pier was a juvenile Thayer's one of my favorites. Conny Brunell Richfield, Hennepin Co. ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
