Greg Neise and I teamed up for some Lake County gulling on Saturday. We hit the LC Fairgrounds first where we were treated to this:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs45ODV-3A1BS_FkoWWYwdHs66tGX4VtVncb4E5OGH-hoz4hxxLnsUHT04kRwwEa-BLYcvaCIHjiVUA-qONV017Fh4wuLACwHQnwjKdF3yNe6FC1gk-5Q1BOzz0YLSF6AN6v3bKbu8oy3K/s640/DSC_0105.JPG) |
Adult Kumlien's. Lake County, IL. 08 December 2012. |
We went back and forth about the possibility of it being an intermediate Thayer's/Kumlien's, and although it may be, I leaned towards Kumlien's because of the limited markings on the primary tips, but especially because of the unmarked P5 - this has not been documented in the leading identification papers on Thayer's Gull:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8dLNPp97W8tZatVSig1A8jJ_Z8lgGMLBNmn7GWXKlxsU1zy6M2BqAuzcnktervmyTtdX0ET3i4zM8ga66WpHr1Ioj0Irw_BhR8j5eS_6DIEq4TvIgLMRhyphenhyphen5pFZiYunzoY5BwR7ayMvGv/s640/DSC_0126.JPG) |
Note the large, all white, tip to P10 and unmarked P6. This individual exhibits a pattern similar to PLATE I in Howell and Dunn, but the shade of darkness is much more extensive. |
We then headed for North Point Marina, running into some nasty snow/rain mixture along the way, but just as we were approaching our destination, the rain stopped and it cleared up with partial sunshine!
We found 2-3 Kumlien's types and 2-3 Thayer's - no Glaucous or LBBGs, which was somewhat of a surprise.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipD8VH-EnNMfrdTqe2TVfyMHR-THGBffrPNDfZvzLPqJ1UCnbCVinjwzF8fCs92Yhu0dZ2ijd7e1hl2wu0pAVW4Wk6ZvYrYexlwEklM6Sg6GLLXFb5WePKpu2cXTbPLGxQqEvouFKmnrVz/s640/DSC_0201.JPG) |
2nd cycle Thayer's Gull. Lake County, IL. 08 December 2012. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLwADe1r8UVc9mUmyIS1KbBOwbrXmgZOfaafxvG-QuJveXKVkwxLDui2pH9busFM0Fp3TbuC5cqAre1HmKAalnkvay6HIJ8aUSgQruxYriwW0EEJSdX2REE201Ig9jGSUIbysgbPF6Giv/s640/DSC_0231.JPG) |
Although P10 is with a large white tip, P6 is with a full subterminal band. This individual resembles PLATE P in Howell and Dunn. I thought it was best to keep this one in the "intermediate" category, but to my eyes, the under pattern suggests Thayer's. |
We also had this beast of a 2nd cycle Herring with an almost completely unmarked bill:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCa8j-32mB_HlTQZbOJ2_-1iSB6RFMqONOWQxlW1t2nFxzJI6X8AHPUyXQUP1Rc9L-MV0XYAiq-QtC2yvsKKERtf8U9unygiec-n6_F2aNHHuwYXUJiFZkoM08-7CuuXWVvsMOY6qHlKy/s640/DSC_0255.JPG) |
The adult-like bill pattern is just another example of the infinite variation found at the species level with Herring! |