This afternoon I saw and photographed a first winter Larus at Field 7 Heckscher SP that I think is a good candidate for California Gull--one of the most birds on Long Island among elusive abundant, migratory species.
The bird caught my eye by virtue of its face, and it passed the test I've applied to so many variant Larus over the decades, "can you see this as a Herring Gull?"--I could not. The enormous variability of Herring Gull, in combination with its abundance here, makes identification of California Gull one of the most difficult challenges on Long Island. I was in the car, which is an advantage in some ways, but a disadvantage in others--such as when it was jumped by car moments later. I saw it only briefly and bare-eyed as it flew, but fortunately it landed again nearby. I re-oriented the car, studied it through the window-mounted scope, took some digi-scoped photos, then posed and answered the question referred to above to myself. I texted for reinforcements, but when I looked up the bird was gone, never to be seen again today, despite much searching by John Gluth, Mike McBrien, and others. The field marks I noted in the field were its overall smaller than typical HERG size; small and slight bill which was pink-based with sharply demarcated black tip; all-black tail; seemingly less extensive/obvious pale panel in inner primaries when it flew the first time; and solidly dark bases to the greater coverts (contra those of same-aged HERG, checked in reference, which were spangled up as high as I could see). I'm writing up a detailed description but wanted to get word and photos out for potential follow-up tomorrow: https://flic.kr/p/2kqGv5V Shai Mitra Bay Shore -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm 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://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
