There's something comforting in having reoccuring birds return to our birding haunts. I went out on Sunday, 04 March 2012, to watch gulls on the Chicago lakefront. I started at Calumet Park and was treated to great looks at this hooded larid:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5VZhEoM0GORElZitlT0LrRewlhvk28NoZp-9-fENhXgMqWSpFUDYLjHYsnJm3YwQvzSXOASXd94BaDxlUBfQdGnwvnktAGUt1T6hueRHv5SCx5xxLK2AdTh0PeocRRb4rdAixjilSdLz/s640/DSC_0279.JPG) |
Presumed adult Laughing x Ring-billed hybrid. Chicago, IL. 04 March 2012. |
This gull is believed to be a returning adult that has frequented the Lake Calumet area for the last 9 years! Amazingly, it always seems to move in with our first wave of returning Ring-billeds. Where it spends its winters is a mystery, but it goes absent around mid-November and reappears around early-mid March. Needless to say, I was ecstatic when it made its first pass along the pier:
I hit Hammond Marina next with Kumlien's Iceland Gull as my target. Within a few minutes of chumming, this adult Kumlien's came charging through the Ring-billeds:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9ibbQo8jOt4dHrWa0EMB0tVEA5XHew3qGGoyZuLRxEZKwegW1qgkT8RtuI43gn-jiNV0XD5bAJ-mXFm0R-eF2r16rij1Uyaqb-nF-AjjUkxmQim_2YzZj0gM5PyEiSBbeZ5JT4p8ROQ4/s640/DSC_0801.JPG) |
Adult Kumlien's Iceland Gull. Hammond, IN. 04 March 2012. |
I thought for sure this one was half-way north to its breeding grounds by now considering the mild winter we've had, but it was still halfheartedly clinging to its winter grounds. I should mention that this bird holds a strict winter territory unlike any other wintering gull I've seen.
For at least the last 4 winters, it's returned to the same perch at the harbor mouth, escorting out intruding gulls with a less than gentle attitude. One thing it doesn't often do is put down on the north side of the harbor, but today it allowed great views, perching for about a minute that went too fast!
My last stop was the BP Refinery in Whiting. As expected, Great Black-backeds were present on the beach (adult, 3rd cycle and 2nd cycle), but had no interest in coming in. Aside from several adult Herrings picking at a dead fish on the beach, there wasn't much to be seen here.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8JgbdKjH5nLgEjtmmYIj2U-iZUI3UhdAOzB-C1KEtVOsecrJthRM37irP647hOss5TLe5zIuC0a_JxVoLhJFjL1sBpFzTR6koQszqfNYk2VWgqObTpsPHAwBjhAsdgCcrxAjvFF3U_kM/s640/DSC_0844.JPG) |
2nd cycle Great Black-backed. Whiting, IN. 04 March 2012. |
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3rd cycle Great Black-backed. Whiting, IN. 04 March 2012. |
Here are some other gull photos for the day:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTw1KemYRjqlfo1c37MtBSavDtrtNVEpI5OaVs3JvxXCV8KR1RhYv2JqgOyGKR9v3E0Rxh8BzQtg1QRDm5qmCYkGfMA22f0IvOnt6UNtQ-WA-aJnR8v6aX0n1ugsox4u0JYY_ENQsNAltw/s640/DSC_0963.JPG) |
1st cycle Herring Gull. Whting, IN. 04 March 2012. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIjFnHq5UYL0n_aSfe7Gg74ZrCNNcp4WAerNIYDYhugZPzE4bVeNgNvSb50vOpJ4xkW2jPsmxzSqGHDzxWHS7BUZIYbPiP5dwHQtFo_6hGxrEUeytnfyFGN8H4UeuH9dHObbxykH9usVJ/s640/DSC_0784.JPG) |
2nd cycle American Herring Gull. Hammond, IN. 04 March 2012. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29eg3GyHqqfM5KIOdD6KPcLDeNRhqhRJgClgHy_UAgiVoW0JkWY_GoJuo98YisopWK_Y66lXdhz96nf05KHVG0I4BQJB-qux0HxRWSL3sxaCIqDLxhMCWSjWITuWFFWna3RvTMlzNf5p4/s640/DSC_0429.JPG) |
Presumed Laughing x Ring-billed hybrid. Chicago, IL. 04 March 2012. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorEC0XR1w18-DgWg_7S9JT2vpUmwxAZjgKpeymoAY4v06qRDnSih3bYRzrGZofjdyVvmRnz-0RRqjjD2BUgfrnNPkGo8-RfKUm-GQIkRjiUFdPubF2xgQAP9kxCy9obPgZj9nTCj_5UbT/s640/DSC_0506.JPG) |
Adult Ring-billed with dark iris. Chicago, IL. 04 March 2012. |