Good call, Shai. I'd say that's a hybrid. It looks very, very similar to a bird we photographed in 2002 in Woodburne, NY. Take a look at that bird at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/woodburne_gull.htm.
Note especially how large the head of the Woodburne and Setauket birds are relative to real Black-headed Gulls. Kevin -----Original Message----- From: bounce-38260864-3714...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-38260864-3714...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Shaibal Mitra Sent: Saturday, November 12, 2011 10:35 PM To: NYSBIRDS-L Subject: RE: [nysbirds-l] Black-headed Gull in Setauket This is an interesting looking bird. The head pattern and the white spots on the tips of the primaries make me wonder whether it might be a Black-headed x Ring-billed Gull hybrid. Are there any photos of the spread wings? Best, Shai Mitra, Bay Shore ________________________________________ From: bounce-38260591-3714...@list.cornell.edu [bounce-38260591-3714...@list.cornell.edu] on behalf of Sara Burch [s...@burch.cc] Sent: Saturday, November 12, 2011 6:21 PM To: NYSBIRDS-L Subject: [nysbirds-l] Black-headed Gull in Setauket During a bird walk at the Setauket Mill Pond today at 11am, we discovered a winter-plumage BLACK-HEADED GULL among a small group of Ring Billed Gulls on the main pond south of the old mill. Also present were a large number of American Wigeons, Gadwalls, and some Ring-necked Ducks. The Pied-billed Grebe that was seen on last month's walk was still around as well. A couple of pictures of the gull are here: http://flic.kr/p/aE68No Sara -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- ________________________________ Change is in the Air - Smoking in Designated Areas Only in effect.<http://www.csi.cuny.edu/tobaccofree> Tobacco-Free Campus as of July 1, 2012. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
