Saturday, 08 March 2014. Lake County Fairgrounds.
Large gulls were holding steady this past weekend, with a more noticeable presence of Kumlien's. My working theory is that Kumlien's increases in northern Illinois towards the end of winter. Highlights today were 4 Kumlien's (including 2 first cycles together), and an adult Glaucous Gull. Of the 9 Thayer's that I observed, all were adults. Roughly 75% of the adult type Herrings were completely white-headed with a noticeable restlessness to them. They vocalized, displayed and faced-off with one another with a more aggressive touch than their typical "winter mode".
And now the two young Kumlien's together, displaying a typical ghost and chocolate type 1st cycle:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxeCVGCIh8HuDFtzNFqYASejZSd_fJpcMHo7rJWAWOYoBFBzZE3SHtdq0ve9lx69O7C7cravBy-1hWt133_KP89TAiu8JUYZWlbAWaRczkoiMwj5XpS7OBWtfx_YpCr-PFHdO0ZEF6g5f/s1600/DSC_2613.JPG) |
Left bird is more petite, bleached, and faded when compared to the bigger and "crisper" looking 1st cycle in the back. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYXvOAlAa-1Dnup2lL6s7KvU0UDgObkt-buoyrk2bqcAGvlAlbU1M6_QwPOMKiMi7scMAAEdZDZivwp2BMdPmEYlH32sg9KxnC333OiK666CpjLp_vJsn49FxDvD-grgVbLyuO6yBHaul/s1600/DSC_1404.JPG) |
Adult Kumlien's. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdTSvgdPPv1KQWr9Hp6TzDvkIrI3YDQwY4eBhDBRfglXsRaMKXovRo-pE-E6sqGelTHjIR9uKnfEY2XmsMf1tWz11x9aKfZq0ZtntwYrKBTefVLg3R2AEcdMZbJq1LVhLvLyV6zxtDhSF4/s1600/DSC_1938.JPG) |
An intermediate-looking adult, but tending towards Kumlien's. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_ZpqNoqH5UsS6_F14rHkD_UA6VxaatE1DzXRHqSWdjogaUl9N-_x3JSKft3ShE_G__O0XoZbUX2y9cgAxGtyAYmiLcrmuM5cZd9vlxZ_nEqhTwMpn_RmSdc6zGnP6lOFAedi-fEmIZiI/s1600/DSC_2057.JPG) |
Adult Thayer's. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgVWGbfDhGoCFKTE6aqiaQVKmbwg7zG9TDE4UUjV4zzuC06ua_zIIcQEowT_PaSNVlF3nGZx1-vxCs0uZVOnxOT9VZy8p7jTpGpisIv_ZyeIpH0hig7eVvFMmztGPHAZ8w2k1prtpD88s/s1600/DSC_2296.JPG) |
Adult Thayer's. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEdcG26xYnPT-NAiAHhyCIZwrIhmsyNDg3BkVMG3JUaWT6eR_Qo46re2I-aJsr-gJykulogz6mrrymIrTFNXMe1kqL0gTeFkYZSR9WuuuvA86NcCxAEhMIyCm2-Gk5myhQtptG2P9BXQw/s1600/DSC_1489.JPG) |
Adult Thayer's. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7b6JZSJkC8R4B2jhEv7oDY7IWgyJCtIaqX6MpCoYWunNKzs3pHH3buiun-upoTBu98Mg7wr1VlOsiqvJlolrMNtb2PSMMwPwa1zRyDB9TLJybbjAYWLrkAul4070Q1A0EXTTAnPB__ZM/s1600/DSC_1809.JPG) |
Adult Thayer's. |