February 2023 Monthly Notables

Sightings:

• Vega Gull (2nd cycle). Clatsop County, Oregon. 02 February 2023.
• A remarkable sighting as most records outside of Alaska pertain to adults.
• California Gull (adult). Benton County, Tennessee. 02 Feb 2023
• Presumably a returning bird from Feb 2021.
• Short-billed Gull (adult). Faulkner County, Arkansas. 03 Feb 2023.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Travis County, Texas. 07 Feb 2023
• 1st County Record.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Dona Ana County, Arizona. 08 February 2023.
• Common Gull (adult). Essex County, New York. 09 February 2023.
• California Gull (1st cycle). St. Lucie County, Florida. 09 February 2023.
• Heermann's Gull (4th alternate). Volusia County, Florida. 09 February 2023.
• The Atlantic coast bird, moving between Florida and North Carolina this month.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. 10 February 2023.
• Continuing 1st State Record from last month.
• Kamchatka Gull (adult). Essex County, Massachusetts.10 February 2023.
• Common Gull (adult). Niagara County, New York. 12 February 2023.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Franklin County, Indiana. 12 February 2023.
• Slaty-backed Gull (2nd cycle). Santa Cruz County, California. 13 February 2023.
• A pale-winged individual.
• California Gull (adult). Elkhart County, Indiana. 17 February 2023.
• California Gull (adult). Santa Rosa County, Florida. 17 February 2023.
• 1st County Record.
• California Gull (2nd cycle). Volusia County, Florida. 19 February 2023.
• Great Black-backed Gull (adult). Bent County, Colorado. 20 February 2023.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Franklin County, Washington. 20 February 2023.
• Returning adult continuing between Franklin & Benton. 
• Vega Gull (adult). San Mateo County, California. 23 February 2023.
• Returning adult since at least Feb 2021. 
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Cuyahoga County, Ohio. 24 February 2023.
• 4th State Record. A different individual than the 3rd State Record in January 2023.
• Heermann's Gull (4th alternate). Brunswick County, North Carolina. 25 February 2023.
• The Atlantic coast bird, moving between Florida and North Carolina this month.
• California Gull (adult). Cuyahoga County, Ohio. 25 February 2023.
• Short-billed Gull (adult). Berrien County, Michigan. 25 February 2023.
• Last county record 01 Jan 1993!
• Common Gull (adult). Bristol County, Rhode Island. 26 February 2023.
• Continuing 3rd State Record from last month.
• Kamchatka Gull (adult). Fairfield County, Connecticut. 26 February 2023.
• Continuing from last month.
• Heermann's Gull (2nd cycle). Baltimore County, Maryland. 27 February 2023.
• Continuing 1st State record bird from March 2022.
• Common Gull (adult). Tolland & Windham County, Connecticut. 27 February 2023.
• Continuing 1st County record between Tolland and Windham. 
• Slaty-backed Gull (subadult). St. John's County, Newfoundland. 28 February 2023.

Notes:

1.    Lesser Black-backed Gull numbers in the Kennessee and Ohio River Valley region continue to increase annually while numbers on the western Great Lakes appear to have decreased in recent winters. Noteworthy are reports of over 40 individuals from Benton County, Tennessee this month.

 

2.    California had no less than 10 reports of Lesser Black-backed this month, with roughly half of these coming from Monterey County and points north.

 

3. The Fairfield County, CT Kamchatka Gull and Bristol County, RI Common Gull went missing for most of the month, suggesting an observer bias, or these birds may in fact cover a rather large winter-feeding area. 

February 2023 Quiz

 

Oregon. January.

Age: The rather plain wing coverts and tertials, and adult-like gray scapulars suggest a 2nd cycle individual of a large, four-cycle species.

Identification: The blob-tipped bill and smudgy head immediately evoke thoughts of Glaucous-winged Gull and Western Gull. Overall the wing coverts and primaries seem a tad too dark for Glaucous-winged, and too pale for Western (especially the pale-edged primaries, for example). Given the location, it is reasonable to assign this individual to the Olympic Gull hybrid swarm. 

Several responses this month insisted on "pure" Glaucous-winged, reinforcing the subjectivity of identifying this species. Although it may be one, the primaries appear too dark to comfortably dismiss a hybrid. 

January 2023 Monthly Notables

Sightings:

• Glaucous-winged Gull (3rd cycle). Cuyahoga County, Ohio. 01 January 2023.
• 1ST STATE RECORD.
• Common Gull (adult). Cuyahoga County, Ohio. 02 January 2023.
• Continuing 1st State Record from December 2022. Intermediate henei/kamtschatschensis. 
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Cuyahoga County, Ohio. 05 January 2023.
• 3rd State Record. Apparently one of the adults from Muskegon, MI from November 2022.
• Heermann's Gull (4th cycle). Charleston County, South Carolina. 05 January 2023.
• Atlantic coast bird now in 4th alternate.
• Common Gull (adult). Essex County, Massachusetts. 07 January 2023.
• Returning adult banded as pullus in Iceland, June 2013 (10th cycle now).
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Clinton County, New York. 11 January 2023.
• 1st County Record.
• Glaucous-winged Gull (1st cycle). Pueblo County, Colorado. 12 January 2023.
• Vega Gull (adult). San Mateo County, California. 14 January 2023.
• Presumably a returning adult since at least 2021.
• Heermann's Gull (4th cycle). Volusia County, Florida. 14 January 2023.
• Atlantic coast bird now in 4th alternate.
• Franklin's Gull (1st cycle). Antigonish County, Nova Scotia. 16 January 2023.
• Common Gull (adult). Tolland County, Connecticut. 17 January 2023.
• 1st County Record. Nominate canus.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Elkhart County, Indiana. 18 January 2023.
• Common Gull (adult). Bristol County, Rhode Island. 18 January 2023.
• 3rd State Record.
• Short-billed Gull (adult). New York County, New York. 19 January 2023.
• Continuing 1st county record bird from December 2022.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Benton County, Washington. 20 January 2023.
• Returning adult. 
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. 21 January 2023.
• 1ST STATE RECORD.
• Kamchatka Gull (adult). Fairfield County, Connecticut. 25 January 2023.
• Presumably a returning adult. 
• Common Gull (adult). Essex County, Massachusetts. 28 January 2023.
• An unbanded individual observed independently of the 07 January bird.
• Heermann's Gull (2nd cycle). Baltimore County, Maryland. 29 January 2023.
• Continuing, 1st state record bird from March 2022.
• Short-billed Gull (adult). Fairfield County, Connecticut. 30 January 2023.
• Apparently the New York County bird, seen with "the" Kamchatka Gull.

Notes: 

• As of January 2023, Slaty-backed Gull is no longer a review species in California. Its removal from the review list also includes 1st cycles. 

January 2023 Quiz

Florida. January.

Age:  A multi-bird quiz. Let's call these front, center and back. The center bird (facing right) seems to be the simplest -- an adult type hooded gull. The front bird is a smaller individual, but a member of the large white-headed gulls and should be a 1st cycle. The bird in the back is also a large white-headed gull, but clearly larger and suggests 2nd cycle. Why are these two white-headed gulls one cycle apart, given that they look somewhat similar? Three-cycle species mature faster, of course. Another way to say this is four-cycle species mature slowly.

Identification: Beginning with the center gull, the somewhat long and droopy black bill, medium gray upperparts, and much black in the wingtip, look spot on for Laughing. The smaller individual in the front has a small bill with pink base. The post-juvenile scapulars (1st alternate) are light gray. The size, in comparison to the Laughing Gull makes this a fairly safe 1st cycle Ring-billed. Ring-billeds often have messier wing coverts at this age, especially this late in the season, but some maintain plain coverts and dark tertials. The 2nd cycle in the back has kept much black on the bill and has obvious slate gray scapulars (2nd alternate). The body size and bill size seem to eliminate Great Black-backed. The only other expected dark-backed (so-called black-backed) species in Florida is Lesser Black-backed, which this is. 2nd cycle Lesser Black-backeds are highly variable. This one looks rather docile and still shows a largely dark eye. 

December 2022 Monthly Notables

Sightings:

• California Gull (adult). Jefferson County, Wisconsin. 01 December 2022.
• California Gull (adult). Butler County, Pennsylvania. 03 December 2022.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Clark County, Nevada. 03 December 2022. 
• Short-billed Gull (1st cycle). Coffey County, Kansas. 03 December 2022.
• Kumlien's Gull (adult). Benton County, Oregon. 04 December 2022.
• Laughing Gull (1st cycle). Humboldt County, California. 04 December 2022.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Dane County, Wisconsin. 05 December 2022.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Franklin County, Washington. 06 December 2022.
• Thayer's Gull (2nd cycle). Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia. 09 December 2022.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (adult). Eddy County, New Mexico. 09 December 2022.
• Vega Gull (adult). Wayne County, Michigan. 10 December 2022.
• 1ST STATE RECORD, pending acceptance.
• P10 large mirror, P9 no mirror, moderate tongue tips P5-P7. Small mark on outer web of P4.
• P9-P10 retained, P8 dropped, P7 80% grown. A few outer and inner secondaries growing. 
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Barnstable County, Massachusetts. 11 December 2022.
• 3rd County Record. 
• Little Gull (1st cycle). Palm Beach County, Florida. 13 December 2022.
• California Gull (adult). Cuyahoga County, Ohio. 13 December 2022.
• Little Gull (adult). Lake County, Tennessee. 16 December 2022.
• Ivory Gull (1st cycle). Llyodminister County, Saskatchewan. 16 December 2022.
• 3rd Provincial Record. 
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Yell County, Arkansas. 16 December 2022.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Contra Costa County, California. 16 December 2022.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Payne County, Oklahoma. 17 December 2022.
• Thayer's Gull (1st cycle). Bucks County, Pennsylvania. 17 December 2022.
• Franklin's Gull (adult). Lincoln County, Oregon. 18 December 2022.
• Yellow-footed Gull (adult). Santa Cruz County, California. 17 December 2022.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (4 - 2 ad./2 juves). Grant County, Wisconsin.18 December 2022.
• Apparent Mississippi River high count.
• Heermann's Gull (2nd cycle). Baltimore County, Baltimore. 18 December 2022.
• Continuing. 
• California Gull (adult). Elkhart County, Indiana. 19 December 2022.
• California Gull (adult). Seneca County, New York. 21 December 2022.
• Short-billed Gull (adult). New York County, New York. 23 December 2022.
• 1st County Record.
• Heermann's Gull (4th cycle). Volusia County, Florida. 23 December 2022.
• Atlantic Coast bird, now undergoing 4th prealternate molt (white head).
• Sabine's Gull (1st cycle). Washington County, Rhode Island. 24 December 2022.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Wayne County, Michigan. 26 December 2022.
• Kumlien's Gull (1st cycle). Santa Clara County, California. 26 December 2022.
• Short-billed Gull (adult). Yell County, Arkansas. 29 December 2022.
• Common Gull (adult)*. Cuyahoga County, Ohio. 30 December 2022.
• 1ST STATE RECORD, pending acceptance.

Notes: 

1. On 10 December 2022, Andy Dettling found an adult Vega Gull in Wayne County, Michigan. This individual displayed all the field marks needed for this taxon, and would constitute a state first pending acceptance. Vega Gull is treated as a subspecies of Herring Gull by the AOS, but many bodies have now elevated it to species status.

 2. On 30 December 2022. Todd Eiben found an adult Common Gull in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. This individual shows intermediate features that are most consistent with Kamchatka Gull (L canus kamtschatschensis), albeit on the smaller end of the curve. The wingtip pattern is most interesting with a mix of features that combine canus, heinei and kamtschatschensis. It is doubtful that this bird will be confidently identified to subspecies.

December 2022 Quiz

 

Illinois. November.

Age: The nondescript brown plumage gives every indication of a 1st cycle large gull. In fact, all scapulars, upperwing coverts and tertials are juvenile (1st basic).

Identification: An interesting combination of uniform brown upperparts with neat pale edging throughout can match a number of species in November. But not many combine smooth brown neck, breast and sides, with paling bill. This individual superficially recalls Lesser Black-backed Gull, but that taxon generally lacks a pale bill base at this date, seldom shows pale tips on the primaries and has paler underparts. Our November quiz bird is "just" an American Herring in crisp juvenile plumage. 

November 2022 Monthly Notables

Sightings:

• Black-legged Kittiwake (adult). Sherman County, Oregon. 01 November 2022.
• Great Black-backed Gull (adult). Pueblo County, Colorado. 06 November 2022.
• Presumably returning individual for the 29th winter.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (1st cycle). Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska. 06 November 2022.
• Found in Kimball County on 08 November 2022.
• Little Gull (adult). Grant County, Washington. 07 November 2022.
• California Gull (1st cycle). St. Lucie County, Florida. 08 November 2022.
• Kumlien's Gull (1st cycle). Nanaimo District, British Columbia. 10 November 2022.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (1st cycle). Marshall County, Alabama. 11 November 2022.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Benton County, Washington. 16 November 2022.
• Returning individual since at least 2016.
• Little Gull (adult). Hughes County, South Dakota. 17 November 2022.
• Great Black-backed Gull (adult). Stanley County, South Dakota. 18 November 2022.
• Glaucous Gull (1st cycle). Washington County, Utah. 19 November 2022.
• Slaty-backed Gull (2 adults)*. Muskegon County, Michigan. 21 November 2022.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Thompson-Nicola District, British Columbia. 21 November 2022.
• Black-headed Gull (adult). Cuyahoga County, Ohio. 25 November 2022.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (1st cycle). McCormick County, South Carolina. 25 November 2022.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (1st cycle). Lincoln County, Georgia. 25 November 2022.
• Same individuals from SC.
• Heermann's Gull (4th cycle). Volusia County, Florida. 29 November 2022.
• Atlantic Coast bird present since August 2019, now in 4th basic plumage.
• Heermann's Gull (2nd cycle). Baltimore County, Maryland. 20 November 2022.
• Continuing bird, presumably the returning 1st State Record individual from March 2022.

Notes:

1. Perhaps most interesting this month is what proved to be 2 different adult Slaty-backed Gulls at the Muskegon Wastewater Treatment Plant in Muskegon, Michigan. While observers sensed there was something not quite right about the movement of black-backed gulls they were seeing in the area, no one explicitly picked up on two different birds in the field. It was Liam Singh who keenly discovered this multiplicity while reviewing photos on eBird. Differences in wingtip pattern and head pattern leave no doubt. This is the first time more than one Slaty-backed Gull has been present at the same site in the interior, and perhaps for all of the lower 48.