Monthly Notables August 2016

• California Gull (2nd summer type). Mason County, Illinois. 01 August 2016.
• Laughing Gull (juvenile). Lancaster County, Nebraska. 01 August 2016.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Pierce County, Washington. 01 August 2016.
• Continuing.
• Western Gull (2nd cycle). Washington County, Colorado. 01 August 2016. 
• Continuing from previous month. Banded on Farallon Islands in the summer of 2015.
• Herring Gull (1st summer). Imperial County, California. 05 August 2016.
• Continuing from July.
• Mew Gull (2nd summer type). Larimer County, Colorado. 05 August 2016.
• Unprecedented. A total of 3 individuals found in the state this month (see below).
• Black-headed Gull (adult type). Lyon County, Minnesota. 08 August 2016.
• Great Black-backed Gull (adult). Harrison County, Mississippi. 11 August 2016.
• Mew Gull (2nd summer type). Larimer County, Colorado. 11 August 2016.
• Individual #2.
• Laughing Gull (adult). Grays Harbor County, Washington. 12 August 2016.
• Glaucous Gull (2nd summer type). Chatham-Kent County, Ontario. 14 August 2016.
• Mew Gull (2nd cycle type). Loveland County, Colorado. 16 August 2016.
• Individual #3.
• Little Gull (adult type). Ottawa County, Michigan. 12 August 2016.
• Franklin's Gull (juvenile). La Haute-Côte-Nord County, Quebec. 19 August 2016.
• Mew Gull (juvenile). Grant County, Washington. 20 August 2016.
• Laughing Gull (adult). Haldimand County, Ontario. 27 August 2016.
• Sabine's Gull (juvenile). Beauharnois-Salaberry County, Quebec. 28 August 2016.
• Mew Gull (juvenile). San Mateo County, California. 28 August 2016.
• California Gull (adult). LaPorte County, Indiana. 31 August 2016.
• First August record for the state.

Miscellaneous Notes 

• Heermann's Gull produced another poor breeding crop this season. Very small numbers of juveniles were reported from Baja California as well as the California Pacific Coast. 
• An adult type California Gull from Colorado was found with one pale eye. Although we don't think of this species as ever showing pale irides, it has been recorded. Considerations of Ring-billed x California or Herring x California hybrids are not unfounded as those hybrids have been reported (primarily in the Great Basin). The August bird was a typical CAGU, minus the pale left eye. 
• An interesting adult type from Ipswich, Massachusetts (Essex County) - first thought to be a canus taxon, then canus x delewarensis - may have been an abnormal Ring-billed Gull missing most of the black subterminal ring on the bill, coupled with dark eyes. Size, gray upperpart coloration, leg color, and primary pattern agreed with Ring-billed Gull. 07 August 2016. See North American Gulls on Facebook for photos.
• Laughing x Ring-billed Gull (adult). Back again since at least 2004, this apparent F1 hybrid is seen sporadically in the summer months on southern Lake Michigan. 21 August 2016. Cook County, Illinois  & Lake County, Indiana.
• Several Mew Gulls were detected this month in a number of western states. Close observation and data from the last few years suggests some young birds begin moving south sooner than previously thought.