Nothing like a little November air to get things moving. Consistent westerlys have been whipping strongly here on southern Lake Michigan for the last 72 hours.
Yesterday, 12 November 2015, I found 2 Black-legged Kittiwakes at Calumet Park on the Illinois/Indiana state line (first of the season). This was somewhat unexpected considering they came in on the "wrong" winds. I was out looking for Franklin's - which I found with little effort - and did a double-take when I spotted both kittiwakes together, wheeling, some 3/4 mile off shore.
Today, 13 November 2015, I had my best day of the season with 9 species and 3 putative hybrids in Berrien County, Michigan.
- BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE (2 juveniles; 13 Nov 2015)
- Herring Gull (750)
- Ring-billed (450)
- Great Black-backed Gull (2 - adult type, 2nd cycle)
- Lesser Black-backed Gull (5 - adult type, 4 juveniles)
- Thayer's Gull (adult)
- Kumlien's Gull (2nd cycle)
- CALIFORNIA GULL (2nd cycle)
- Franklin's Gull (27 adults, 6 1st cycles)
- Bonaparte's Gulls (44 adults & 3 1st cycles)
Putative Hybrids:
- Kelp x Herring (adult type - continuing)
- GLAUCOUS-WINGED x HERRING (1st cycle)
- Glaucous x Herring (adult - textbook)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPbv_5m2jUdPCSGwFq1haLC1VJoUCdt8AqTRgM9Nrh7_rI5QAJ_F9JXCQOyfMcoTcDuMMqCcpQujXaIp5pNhKrSavBjpgl1VWRjm_oEGz0Vc5gsPWiXUDQWXYrKlxcvQuyuJjVHJFwSwe/s640/DSC_2499.JPG) |
(1 of 8) Presumed Glaucous-winged x Herring. Berrien County, Michigan. 13 November 2015. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5j3GtZrvWiBCQMVL_KdG4fvGodiwqj4lkujWQHVGwnrnis-0CQKcds7xMDIWPIUfNfqc9Sgwv6eJDrpJvLkl7Zg9PJddjdrZ5ZbScULJg0xUWbVyEf7f1hmm81iUI4LTDhoflhF2ZG8BF/s640/DSC_2427.JPG) |
(2 of 8) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimh2ctyfTCy-N3Z2ha-e9DhQGLQLUXMgbMkw0QwO5jhM1czEaSCAzx-Q97l0EKuJKpbmJMbJmGxxBix5O8A7D1JXaPZigkMxeWiTXDy3AWHuwPaoq2OWfAIha_R2fq3SeAWUsnQOKFw2Q_/s640/DSC_2488.JPG) |
(3 of 8) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhor8v1jVzLFExT41XKwMbgQ5M9PKRwJGoSgjDk_lQQSsqI4vL1ZBMUdfKY2is6dz_T9U0afj-4WYZXb-NTtS-tu7ITkaoC2rIEgLPk5j3LXK6bdtRzlPilMvFrnfOGtPjogBA73v1oufz5/s640/DSC_2379.JPG) |
(4 of 8) With Herrings. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtZs2nEbta1OMY1r9I26BfUIcDbkx-Ub2sp7LM2D4wWIvnirjstZxmJOec-f3ezIf_zHJA2apX0NQqFJULZzkVTXZ5JWGOVrHs2HJaXDcuPQ07RzeoJZtZwdlBZdQkpT2xz0DzTDTMLQd/s640/DSC_2456.JPG) |
(5 of 8) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-iljr8XI79eUVx-lpo8ZTC0fISFZPGgsLYY09oLOF1KZh7b70azGoD_wpSNwVOZkO7hunPQ-g46s7aMwVQqYjKu73KSqVG4StxeEUTOrzNrht3z-Nt3mYdROKLp5iScio7QTJAZR64RUe/s640/DSC_2486.JPG) |
(6 of 8) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1usIWVU6mpCJvJXoeELli62FAmWku1ffqrbRTQILeutytvquXPY4PSSRnaNVNRGyMrAl-Wqx33Qft0Aztpub9Yf9WHAnMw6Dqf3xWdGqmeMebjo9PDJksSSSaivNmKrWxH8rMvfTeDmp/s640/DSC_2409.JPG) |
(7 of 8) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJf5YUA8IVP_2bxQRbhfHX3fDpaxL0_VV5fUONxcbVkhH4R7XhoBbqSkN7hbVTxDRAkteRBJjItUbMhK6Hfw8fS6dBi59opiahjimNq-HiKja6Z6JQjGItYo47Z8udfML5I9BEiHIZ82g/s640/DSC_2443.JPG) |
(8 of 8) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGECfb5n6vqeLthugq2DHN8QoruRyDTKZgxaFS597q8BV9fpBoKj44OIFapPSTbXacV1FZLlm9zubYaht2urEttMJI3_-KvodZ2C6h7ohROPFGicKg8x-aVcZw6J9hhF6UF4D-er2HWv_/s640/DSC_2740.JPG) |
(1 of 3) California Gull (2nd cycle). Berrien County, Michigan. 13 November 2015.
Superficially resembles a similar-aged Herring Gull. Greenish-gray leg color, downward gape and post-ocular line are classic CAGU marks. Relatively bulky size can possibly be attributed to subspecies, L.c. albertaensis.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxjB7y-ZuGKxDo-50RA6LitIdgyUOFYMtHRWmZ3JgTrDqtkVflr8Do9dReSOvCZ17IVA4xU6iaQoBtfgVPq_9ATRj_92xLVxpk0YgSYX0PjFvWygbiOGPdmAcdpdxJDuD8wMdO_mNbzm_/s640/DSC_2744.JPG) |
(2 of 3) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyTlDIceU4m3Qe4mgvwlUHZVkago8IpdQ7Tk0TZoJHnVWkezWy9WbUKLOI9wWlshcap6ck_R6OSzHpim0gw4CA7MPykhtCwI-bu2or6Pp_aqsT6zNuBIObLtCCJ2UNd1v23Mkg6y5y96K/s640/DSC_2757.JPG) |
(3 of 3) Inner primary window is less prominent than similar-aged Herrings. Greater coverts largely dark-centered. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacDeCwcBgaG5yOXHdkAchsXsFsxlQS7KyG84GmriyBkRFqG1OP_I0v5EDppHqsbOiangCbOZ8VZUbGhYwX3PszoHsKgKH9csDTSOburOM53vxUSUD2tkXp2nkJLc9mEW1dv2U7bQIGnwe/s640/DSC_3123.JPG) |
(1 of 3) Kumlien's Iceland Gull (2nd cycle). Berrien County, Michigan. 13 November 2015. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBdddWv84qeH1geFL-c_0GGU_XGhCmP3vdRIjBcDThjPemQ27UZXsW7UBqZFSZBklu4hqHzzg-KOj0NvCeXhsZFg3euIEeoFtPSxz8xnb7b3q5fYT-R9G2Oqv-xsBwYD71tMRxTB4gqNq/s640/DSC_3081.JPG) |
(2 of 3) With 2nd cycle Herring and Ring-billed Gulls. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCm0T5-txq0ScOxEFHT4yJZtyL5WdRCNKlxaE-Yp0hPAwyRvEo5ipo_vUxfBB2_0y2JdQii1D6E8dGQLXDQ2te0cSAAAWC2jTR55QPKK3EyOWJHECxpppmL-D6c2qmAsZaX8HIIp2Vkt5/s640/DSC_3160.JPG) |
(3 of 3) Outer primaries are okay for kumlieni. Rectrices are relatively dark for this taxon. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGs6KMUTOBItZVHiv03GV4vyj5vjj-n-pmhavm0uD5JDeYKIaTGyRPFB3Tbi1niCxKq1JSWu2qP_p351ZmktBBYjuqnPLfVYOMw2v8lRduWeR5VPdFLWFLQEpNbIiEVMwb79LXnNQo_fjL/s640/DSC_3318.JPG) |
(1 of 2) Franklin's Gull (adult). Berrien County, Michigan. 13 November 2015. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzNxqC_fPneT8AnLDeshNd8xIMF3nbbFtxQktNxGidFmDA-isOeYQ-T8VoX8xSc37GaR8opPgMU8OqSQaepNnNuRi7wFxUSnDZbbSyFZWlI8m0UbZc4LlXxJ_azSIjx_0J0YmWcW3LM3P/s640/DSC_3332.JPG) |
(2 of 2) With adult Ring-billed Gull. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOkNi9xqLW3iz_r_Razi4jIkIzz-KLjYPurhkWSBGjO4j5Xh8gsKCgyd_B_PUKnTngkpLloxaspBK6baPPBQSnJzT5gyIcysanYWQZCOuadq7f2OEkwJx_6y8qbtJG8L9ei-lcNPmZwvY/s640/DSC_2714.JPG) |
(1 of 2) Great Black-backed Gull (2nd cycle). A small individual similar in size to the surrounding Herrings. Almost certainly a female. Berrien County, Michigan. 13 November 2015. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkvJrFrzS9ERWskkQR_fkpAU7w_IjertKRz0W0r_Mh2JPjIHg3Nt3o7ShpkJpJ9LnYqc2YP90ZH4En59v1-cdMzQBhmqwXmRstspciHGX8hJLnPVdovYPsJSHDpqmuY3_unrM1sAyPM92/s640/DSC_2702.JPG) |
(2 of 2) Great Black-backed Gull (left) with putative Cook Inlet hybrid (center) and Herrings. This GBBG is no bigger than the surrounding HERGs - one of the smallest I've seen to date. Berrien County, Michigan. 13 November 2015. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIEzFhoxAU0cXu2vQZ7DKvMaKt0ekapcfkuJWS6yXanq8GKOeEU742iLV__OJn-faW8DtXINFHqDjKLqFiTafil2v2CRBP2xBGABAokw4-r2IHhoXTxiBZw0Aa_9oT9opYJOSaCF6JMMb/s640/DSC_2599.JPG) |
2nd cycle Herring & 1st cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull. 1 of 4 juvenile Lessers present today. Berrien County, Michigan. 13 November 2015.
Lesser Black-backed Gull (juvenile). Berrien County, Michigan. 13 November 2015.
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The hybrid Glaucous-winged X Herring is a stunning looking bird, the chocolate tipped median coverts and cream tipped scaps are quite beautiful ...
ReplyDeleteI hope for a Franklin's Gull in the U.K.
Hi, Mike. Yes, that hybrid was definitely one of the day's highlights! I'm going to bet you guys land a Franklin's in the next couple weeks. Best.
DeleteHi Amar, do you have a pic of the Cook-Inlet-Hyb in flight? Or maybe a photo of another one in flight. I#d be curious how 1st cycle smith x galucescens looks on inner primaries. It has a weird shawl, this bird - great one!
ReplyDeleteHey, Lou. Photos 1-8 are all of the Cook-Inlet. Inner primaries are strikingly similar to Thayer's.
Delete