Hey all- Sorry for the short iPhone post from my dad's phone, that I forgot to sign. Yesterday at around 12:30, Jason Caddy, John Ellis, Lars Benson and I found the Glaucous-winged Gull, briefly, among 500 gulls on the ice at 27th avenue (sounds like very much the same group that Didrick Benz had). Jason first noticed the gull on the ice after the flock had risen and settled a few times, off the to side next to a 1st-cycle Glaucous Gull, which made for nice comparisons. Then the GWGU got up and flew, allowing us to see from below the lack of black on the wing tips. When it landed, the grey primaries with white tips were visible, as was the size of the bird compared with nearby Herring Gulls. Then it rose again and worked right, and out of sight behind some vegetation around the curve to the west. Not the stunning photo op Karl had, by any means.
As noted, this flock was rich with winter gulls, including at least 12 Glaucous Gulls (1 adult, most 1st-cycle birds), 1 1st or 2nd cycle Iceland Gull, two Thayer's Gulls (1 adult, 1 1-st cycle), and 2 Great Black-backed Gulls (1 adult and 1 1st cycle). Jason left and we moved around a bit trying to get better views, but did not refind the Glaucous-winged. However, on our way out an immature Goshawk flew over, making for a nice day of winter birding. Both before and after this period we checked Canal Park for gulls generally, but it seemed like repeated ship traffic was spooking most of the gulls. All we saw here were a few Ring-billed Gulls, straggling Herring Gulls, and a single 1st-cycle Glaucous Gull. See you at the Brrrdathon... Jesse Ellis Madison, WI On Mon, Dec 26, 2011 at 2:44 PM, John P. Ellis <[email protected]> wrote: > Briefly on ice, flew west. Also 12 GLGU, 1 ICGU, 2 GBBG , 2 THGU, goshawk. > Sent from my iPhone > > ---- > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > -- Jesse Ellis Post-doctoral Researcher Dept. of Zoology University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, Dane Co, WI ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
