Lots of gulls over the Countryside Landfill in Lake County, Illinois today, but none in the parking lot when I arrived. It took a lot of work to finally get a sizable group to put down at the Lake County Fairgrounds (proper). Between 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. we tallied 6 Thayer's Gulls (5 ad., 1 3rd cycle), 3 Kumlien's Gulls (ads.) and 1 Great Black-backed Gull (1st cycle). I also spotted a banded 2nd cycle Herring that I was able to record.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6waUX0sGzu2gfdy7uMMFgHcZ09mlfro7C9hTr_eLffMrSRUVwaOBWEj803Tyi_yOIahlW8N0-oXdoLhqL7KbjXgj4y3ECTwG8CLMxSvkllnqhV1n-paYZuGad6diNTPh8XOpsfGXIzI7/s1600/DSC_9319.JPG) |
Thayer's Gull (3rd cycle). Lake County, IL. 16 Feb 2015. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2yajJv9L6DGavfbGzU7s08ldXRXqRVtKVWJARpw3KO4TTJ-ameHGNC8mqLq-6WScrX1HsY_-Vxg2ctxi3PnxlvKgmV2piuWIR9s8rAb8fE5O8p4i8Nv1fv754OOCla-KUx7d4DoDy_rp/s1600/DSC_9501.JPG) |
Thayer's Gull (3rd cycle). Lake County, IL. 16 Feb 2015. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEich_kZLYobyg4Fct-IRzzm3akESflsfVQ5Nn6njFEKvYyujJ8sjOxsRk-yNpe3bhUhJFV_4ycFDgHRp0m923YQxyyzKXAlMPeYI_c7JbzJmXC_tKRaecCsx7t7asFD0AL00fw1LqTmO2jF/s1600/DSC_9592.JPG) |
Thayer's Gull (3rd cycle with similar aged Herring). Lake County, IL. 16 Feb 2015. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-boh_urgwtUSTfE6szOmnjrmhBbRyb69stOK5YHYLIyKfu4XFKqo5FZRx0iArZCJrURgG4vX86EdVRGPI3jctmlfonLAinriixr9Y0GPPNUdJyWMk-Vk82rdf9QSh5m9Ex6NJjd3iE_ld/s1600/DSC_9291.JPG) |
Adult Thayer's Gull with all-white tip to p10 and no mirror on p9. Lake County, IL. 25 Feb 2015.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxX63WQSeedUS1jIik5X-lX_z5hThynYr5oTDwkj-qxARM1XNjfzCFqroUBISQoBuTmPc1-edMjmsSc4CjMNM0Lse-qXYZO1G27pAX-nBPpCN51iQ_Mo256W8Vkwlt_ykHv26SZ22U-sp/s1600/DSC_8969.JPG) |
Adult Thayer's Gull with all-white tip to p10 and no mirror on p9. Lake County, IL. 25 Feb 2015.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-XKdgYHKinjALZnFOpdd1P5I7dePCumvW8uZuR1hb0ARSrqeYM7QSM8wrZ8HWxg4etrdt_fkBuWVkk4VqetQEwWkgAJwzOz_lgRGIDUFZcX28wsRY1f1sN9qnpIvZoToRtlcRElZavpr/s1600/DSC_8968.JPG) |
Adult Thayer's Gull with all-white tip to p10 and no mirror on p9. Lake County, IL. 25 Feb 2015. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5RBvkCPhLREgcX-B1SG-spbxb20Q0zs0xOIuJGxb7Ha9EBNWDYJ01eUSCt7GgpACB9zX92KHOxSLdpCZbzWvc97YI6k2qDV_N4fOPDWKqV148mcfSSFpwzzYaNLsCa0YW90zdsNQP2NMY/s1600/DSC_9001.JPG) |
An intermediate adult Thayer's/Kumlien's Gull. Lake County, IL. 16 Feb 2015. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7VQOK0WVQApywGyYDS-cuZzi97ro-UMXec07f2r0BFJDmJ60zR0M-Dn8Fb_V5hBmPYtD6IuYdNlEFAlsqsPkTjHjdTZPg8mkzOFOE7dVBrY1pB-uMhv1RhjnjecrfjyTFz4HJdTK90xOq/s1600/DSC_9770.JPG) |
One of the smallest and shortest-legged adult Ring-billeds I've seen. Lake County, IL. 16 Feb 2015. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBRfeM-QG3s7QIeLvCy3UJ03z4CwslQ9TDjKE2dO0bH5T1PYQO0yU8iPPcDdsKNGyGgU2skDa8pP9IpQIzn4o6F5RHgyB6rCrGRwDF49mEaaa-Ghk8t24KwfScG-eR0bLA8jgzGgz1GBF/s1600/DSC_9160.JPG) |
Here's another Herring that one might easily mis-age without an open wing (open wing below). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkEhDpNgt8efK0-CWS-ClzkCXYc30CILxq7sbVW3O5W76McY3J3QnDyutf59jNUCIEpe-ElMGGWTfxrAcIS_mMegwKdkqxPWescBRwegmBJM73I_P8dGTHPfFFzwcObWRWVGH8qW2K022/s1600/DSC_9167.JPG) |
Herring Gull (2nd cycle type). Lake County, IL. 16 Feb 2015. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-S6yjs4YM4qzpyOeMjXOskftOOLu10QKjAVXZh2e1U1oLr-sT6vWzBR1YEza_XR8t4EQOiwoxlAHfl1tQagBbfZ_7Wtdhb5DFBE2GEHVt119ocsWWSwvZx0_vTnjziMbIOLHmmVdUlYkq/s1600/DSC_9926.JPG) |
Banded Herring Gull (2nd cycle). Lake County, IL. 16 Feb 2015. Band # 1106-27102 |