December 2017 Quiz

Age: The upperparts on this bird have neat pale fringes that immediately suggest a juvenile. The jet-black bill and pointy tips to the primaries also support a 1st cycle individual.

Identification: The medium, even-brown, tones with very little contrast throughout the plumage is only expected in a couple of taxa in North America. An initial view of the extensive pale edging wrapped around the primary tips should call to mind juvenile Glaucous-winged Gull or Thayer's Gull. A date and location, or other birds in the frame for comparison, would easily settle this in the field, but we'll try to do without that information. Afterall, what do we have to lose?

A couple of salient features that Glaucous-wingeds regularly show - but not so much in thayeri - include a plain, muddied, greater covert panel. In thayeri, the greater coverts tend to show more internal markings with a frosted appearance - more illustrious, if you will.

The plain upper tail, plain tertial tips, plain scapulars and plain wing coverts nicely work together to shape this "muted" look we expect in Glaucous-winged Gull. Our December quiz bird is indeed a juvenile Glaucous-winged, photographed in King County, Washington during the first week of September.

For comparison, here's a juvenile Thayer's, photographed in the same county in late December:

Greater coverts show more internal markings, and overall, the upperparts are more contrasty and patterned. An ID like this, where Glaucous-wingeds and Thayer's overlap, must also take size and structure into consideration.

Monthly Notables November 2017

Sightings

• Sabine's Gull (1st cycle). Gila County, Arizona. 03 November 2017.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). Los Angeles, County, California. 03 November 2017.
• Sabine's Gull (1st cycle). Lake County, Tennessee. 03 November 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (3rd cycle). Labrador-Happy Valley-Goose Bay County, Newfoundland & Labrador. 04 November 2017.
• 2nd record for Labrador. Incidentally, the 1st record was only last year in April 2016. That individual was an adult, found roughly 1 mile away from the 2017 bird.
• Great Black-backed Gull (2nd cycle type). Stark County, North Dakota. 05 November 2017.
• Little Gull (adult). Lawrence County, Alabama. 12 November 2017.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). Inyo County, California. 12 November 2017.
• Black-headed Gull (adult). Butler County, Pennsylvania. 12 November 2017.
• A returning adult since at least 2011. 8 county records which may prove to be of the same individual.
• Thayer's Gull (1st cycle). Mohave County, Arizona. 17 November 2017.
• Only about the 15th record for the state.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (adult). Sedgwick County, Colorado. 16 November 2017.
• Little Gull (1st cycle). Okanagan-Similkameen District, British Columbia 17 November 2017.
• First record for the Okanagans.
• California Gull (adult). Lake County, Illinois. 19 November 2017.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (1st cycle). Scott County, Iowa. 20 November 2017.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (1st cycle). Washington County, Minnesota. 24 November 2017.
• Thayer's Gull (1st cycle). Accomack County, Virginia. 24 November 2017.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (1st cycle). Battleford County, Saskatchewan. 25 November 2017.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (2 - 1st cycle). Sangamon County, Illinois. 29 November 2017.
• Great Black-backed Gull (1st cycle). Polk County, Iowa. 30 November 2017.
• Rare for inland Iowa. 

Miscellaneous:

A relatively large influx of Ross's Gulls was found in the Gambell, Alaska region beginning on 13 November, and continued through the end of the month. Some estimates put numbers at 14-20 birds roaming the waters of the northwest portion of St. Lawrence Island.

Black-legged Kittiwakes were reported in above-average numbers, inland, on the western Great Lakes and beyond.

An adult 'Taimyr Gull' was reported in Sonoma County, California (24 November 2017). It's believed this individual is a returning bird, first found last winter. The taxonomy of this form remains unsettled and has yet to be clarified.

November 2017 Quiz

Age/Molt stage: This appears to be a large 3 or 4-year, large white-headed gull. Given the black markings on the tail, we can be sure it's not a definitive adult. It appears the outer primary is still growing in, as are some inner secondaries, and so the prebasic molt hasn't concluded.

Monthly Notables October 2017

Sightings

• Western Gull (adult). Skeena-Queen Charlotte County, B.C. 03 October 2017.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (4th cycle type). Pierce County, Washington. 05 October 2017.
• Sabine's Gull (juvenile). Brevard County, Florida. 07 October 2017.
• Mew Gull (adult). Laval, Québec. 10 October 2017.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult type). Portage, Manitoba. 11 October 2017.
• California Gull (3rd cycle type). Arthabaska County, Quebec. 11 October 2017.
• Little Gull (adult). Kitsap County, Washington. 13 October 2017.
• Laughing Gull (1st cycle). Kiowa County, Colorado. 15 October 2017.
• Little Gull (adult type). Marion County, Iowa. 15 October 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (3rd cycle). Clallam County, Washington. 16 October 2017.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (adult). Lethbridge County, Alberta. 18 October 2017.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). San Diego County, California. 19 October 2017.
• Thayer's [Iceland] Gull (1st cycle). Seneca County, New York. 22 October 201

Miscellaneous Notes

• The first weekend in October was prime time for Ross's Gulls at Point Barrow, with a high count of 450 reported on 08 October 2017.
• An apparent Glaucous x Great-blacked hybrid (juvenile) was photographed in Henry County, Tennessee on 07 October 2017. This may be the first record of this hybrid this deep into the interior continental United States. Still being seen up to 21 October.

October 2017 Quiz

Age: The flight feathers, all-white tail and body feathers point to an adult-type, large white-headed gull (LWHG).

Identification: Our October bird is a black-backed gull with pink legs. In North America, we have two regularly occurring black-backeds with pink legs: Western and Great Black-backed, but this individual is neither.

Structurally, both Western and Great Black-backed Gull have noticeably different bills than what's seen here. Western typically shows a brighter yellow bill with a wider gonys angle - a bulbous-tipped bill, if you will. Great Black-backed's bill is much more stout and thick - a strong bill all throughout with a blunt tip.

Adult Western. Note the bulbous-tip and mustard-yellow orbital ring.

San Luis Obispo County, California. January.

Adult Great Black-backed. The gonys is swollen and the bill is thick throughout.

 Huron County, Ohio. November.

Notice in both of the images above there is very little in the way of head markings. Both of these black-backs average much less head markings than all of our other LWHGs, even in basic plumage. Also, neither possesses the menacing stare of our quiz bird, with eyes that appear to be encircled with mascara.

Perhaps of most importance when identifying this month's quiz gull is the wing pattern. Notice the remarkably thick white trailing edge, a glaring field mark that screams Slaty-backed Gull.

Here's a cropped image of this gull's right wingtip:

The white on the inner primary tips eats into the black edges with a so-called "string of pearls" on the adjacent mid-outer primaries (white tongue tips abutting the black sub-terminal bands on p5-p8).

A species that's generally increasing in North America, particularly on the Great Lakes in winter, this month's Slaty-backed Gull was photographed in Lake County, Illinois. February.

Monthly Notables September 2017

• Swallow-tailed Gull (adult). Snohomish County, Washington. 01 September 2017.
• Continued from 31 August 2017. Last seen at Point Wells on Sunday, 10 September.  
• Little Gull (juvenile). Inyo County, California. 02 September 2017.
• First county record. 
• Laughing Gull (juvenile). Taylor County, West Virginia. 02 September 2017.
• First sighting of the species in WV in nearly a decade.
• Sabine's Gull (juvenile). Fairfield County, Connecticut. 03 September 2017.
• 2nd State Record.
• Laughing Gull (juvenile). Les Basques County, Quebec. 04 September 2017.
• California Gull (adult). Denton County, Texas. 05 September 2017.
• Glaucous Gull (3rd cycle type). Kenosha County, Wisconsin. 07 September 2017.
• Franklin's Gull (adult). Hants County, Nova Scotia. 15 September 2017.
• Sabine's Gull (juvenile). District of Columbia County, DC. 04 September 2017.
• First record for Washington DC
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). Teton County, Wyoming. 16 September 2017.
• Potential 1st record for Yellowstone NP and surrounding counties.
• Glaucous Gull (2nd cycle). Barnstable County, Massachusetts. 16 September 2017.
• First September record for MA.
• Iceland Gull (3rd cycle type). Suffolk County, New York. 16 September 2017.
• L.g. kumlieni. Likely summered in the region.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (2nd cycle). Calgary County, Alberta. 16 September 2017.
• Great Black-backed Gull (adult).  Keith County, Nebraska. 17 September 2017.
• Laughing Gull (juvenile). Kiowa County, Colorado. 19 September 2017.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Troup County, Georgia. 20 September 2017.
• Rare and unseasonal. Storm-driven?

September 2017 Quiz

Age: Both of these gulls appear to be in their first plumage cycle. The overall plumage aspect of the larger bird in front, with lightly checkered wing coverts and lack of gray scapulars support this. What of the smaller bird in the back with gray coming in on the scapulars? This is a 3-year gull, and adult-like gray scapulars is not unexpected in the first cycle.

Identification: These two species happen to be the most expected, year-round, residents on the Great Lakes and much of eastern North America. The smaller individual is a hatch year Ring-billed Gull. The silvery-white greater coverts are helpful with this age group, as is its size and incoming gray scapulars (via preformative or prealternate molt). The larger individual in front with paling bill and nondescript upperparts is a hatch year Herring Gull. Although this age group of Herrings is highly variable, there is no other expected species that bares resemblance to this.

Knowing these two species is a requisite for anyone hoping to learn gull identification in North America. The size difference here is remarkable and should be used as a benchmark for gauging sizes of other taxa.

Monthly Notables August 2017

• Heermann's Gull (adult). Imperial County, California. 02 August 2017.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (2nd cycle). Imperial County, California. 02 August 2017.
• Little Gull (1st summer). Niagara County, Ontario. 03 August 2017.
• A high count of 17 individuals, primarily 1st summers with a couple of adults. Numbers building all summer. 
• Laughing Gull (1st summer). Sept-Rivières County, Quebec. 03 August 2017.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (3rd cycle type). Cass County, North Dakota. 05 August 2017.
• Sabine's Gull (adult). Los Angeles County, California. 10 August 2017.
• Little Gull (juveniles). Kiowa County, Colorado. 13 August 2017.
• High count of 7 individuals in one view. 
• Mew Gull (adult type). Loveland County, Colorado. 14 August 2017.
• 2nd consecutive year the species has been recorded in north-central Colorado in August.
• Franklin's Gull (adult type). Suffolk County, New York. 14 August 2017.
• Sabine's Gull (adult). Fremont County, Wyoming. 16 August 2017.
• Sabine's Gull (adult & juvenile). Barnstable County, Massachusetts. 19 August 2017.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (2nd cycle). Mason County, Illinois. 19 August 2017.
• Great Black-backed Gull (adult type). Sweetwater County, Wyoming. 21 August 2017.
• Great Black-backed Gull (juvenile). Ottawa County, Michigan. 24 August 2017.
• Although sub-adults regularly summer here, this brilliantly fresh juvenile is curious. 
• Sabine's Gull (juvenile). Travis County, Texas. 27 August 2017.
• California Gull (Adult). Bristol County, Massachusetts. 31 August 2017.
• SWALLOW-TAILED GULL (ADULT). King County, Washington. 31 August 2017.
• Mega. First state record for Washington.

Miscellaneous Notes:

1. Topping the list of notes this month is the adult Swallow-tailed Gull found on the last day of the month. With only two previous ABA records (both from California), this Seattle, Washington sighting now constitutes the northernmost occurrence in the world. The bird spent most of the day loafing on the beach with California Gulls at Carkeek Park. 
2. Juvenile Heermann's Gulls appeared to have bounced back, approaching close-to-normal numbers this season. 
3. Miami-Dade County had up to 13 summering Lesser Black-backed Gulls this month - these are lower numbers than the last Augusts. As we're seeing everywhere with this species, summer numbers are inconsistent from year to year.
4. The putative Chandeleur Gull from southern Lake Michigan is back a bit early this season, spotted in Berrien County, Michigan on 26 August 2017.
5. The high count of 7 juvenile Little Gulls recorded in Kiowa County, Colorado is intriguing to say the least. This early push of young birds, well west of the Mississippi River, suggests the species may be extending its breeding range on the North American continent.

August 2017 Quiz

Age
This neat duo appears to be about half way done with primary molt. Thus, we can safely assume these estival plumage aspects were captured in the midst of the breeding season. The smaller bird on the left has a complete dark trailing edge to the secondaries and a complete tail band - a typical 1st summer "small gull". The larger and darker gull on the right also has vestiges of brown secondaries and retained 1st generation outer primaries - also indicative of a bird in its 1st summer.

Identification

The paler bird on the left has a tern-like bill and complete black trailing edge. The light gray upperparts and black ear-spot point to Bonaparte's Gull.

The larger bird with darker gray upperparts has a blunt bill that is proportionately large. Note how significant the bill shape and size is, as well as the shade of gray, when identifying these two. The black post-ocular smudge on the larger bird also hints at a hooded species. Its long pointed hand seems perfectly in line with Laughing Gull, and that's what it is indeed.

This 1st summer Bonaparte's and Laughing Gull are roughly a year old, and are assumed to be nonbreeders. Both birds are undergoing their 2nd prebasic molts Cape Cod, Massachusetts. July. 

Monthly Notables July 2017

• Iceland Gull (1st summer). Suffolk County, New York. 01 July 2017.
• Glaucous-winged Gull (1st summer). Riverside County, California. 03 July 2017.
• Black-headed Gull (1st summer). Wheatly, Ontario. 08 July 2017.
• Laughing Gull (1st summer). Kiowa County, Colorado. 09 July 2017.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (1st summer). Toronto, Ontario. 13 July 2017.
• California Gull (3rd summer type). Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. 14 July 2017.
• 2nd summer record for state.
• Franklin's Gull (1st summer type). Essex County, Massachusetts. 20 July 2017.
• Great Black-backed Gull (adult type). LaPorte County, Indiana. 20 July 2017.
• Franklin's Gull (adult type). Eddy County, New Mexico. 23 July 2017.
• Mew Gull (adult). Cascade County, Montana. 23 July 2017.
• Ring-billed Gull (adult). Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon County, Alaska. 24 July 2017.
• Laughing Gull (adult). Notre Dame Bay-Lewisporte County, Newfoundland. 27 July 2017.

Notes:
1. A Great Lakes high count of 69 Lesser Black-backed Gulls was recorded in Sheboygan, Wisconsin on 14 July 2017. This site (North Point) has seen an increase in numbers of this species in the last 4 years, with mostly 1st and 2nd summer individuals present. This is a seasonal phenomenon brought on by a short bout of dying alewives near shore. No definitive adults present.
2. Multiple juvenile Heermann's Gulls were reported along the California coast this month with a high of 34 individuals in San Mateo County on 28 July 2017.

July 2017 Quiz

Age: The plain wing coverts, admixture of adult-like gray scapulars, single adult-like upper tertial and rounded primary tips all suggest a 2nd cycle type large gull.

Identification: The smudgy head, neck and breast appearance is reminiscent of Glaucous-winged Gull. The "muddy" plumage aspect to the upperparts is as if the bird was powdered with soot. Retaining a largely dark bill into 2nd cycle is also quite common for many Glaucous-wingeds. The only feature on this bird that raises some suspicion as to whether it may be a "pure" Glaucous-winged, is the paling iris. Most Glaucous-wingeds retain a dark eye, but some exceptional birds take on a pale eye (usually as they age, and not quite this young).

It helps to know that this bird was photographed in Grays Harbor, Washington. December. There is a large chance of some Western Gull genes at play, with a smaller chance of Herring Gull involvement. The very dark primaries may be viewed by some as a blocker for Glaucous-winged, but I don't see them as a problem for a bird with such closely matching tertials and greater coverts.

For what it's worth, here's what would be "safely" identified as a "classic" 2nd cycle Glaucous-winged. Seattle, Washington. January.

At any rate, we will settle for Glaucous-winged Gull for our July Quiz, with the unverifiable chance of some outside influence.

Monthly Notables June 2017

• Thayer's Iceland Gull (1st cycle). Gambell, Alaska. 01 June 2017.
• Franklin's Gull (2nd cycle type). Barnstable County, Massachusetts. 02 June 2017.
• Western Gull (adult). Sitka, Alaska. 02 June 2017.
• First Summer Record.
• Franklin's Gull (adult). Sitka, Alaska. 02 June 2017.
• First Summer Record.
• Black-headed Gull (2nd cycle). Northumberland County, Ontario. 04 June 2017.
• Herring Gull (1st cycle). St. John's County, Newfoundland. 05 June 2017.
• Apparent European Herring Gull. All flight feathers intact.
• Common Gull (1st cycle). St. John's County, Newfoundland. 05 June 2017.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (2nd cycle type). Clay County, Minnesota. 05 June 2017.
• First county record.
• Thayer's Iceland Gull (2nd cycle). Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. 05 June 2017.
• Ivory Gull (1st cycle). Nome County, Alaska. 07 June 2017.
• Ross's Gull (1st cycle). Nome County, Alaska. 07 June 2017.
• Black-headed Gull (1st cycle). Nome County, Alaska. 07 June 2017.
• Franklin's Gull (adult). Barnstable County, Massachusetts. 07 June 2017.
• A different individual than that seen on 02 June 2017.
• Glaucous Gull (3rd cycle type). Pinellas County, Florida. 09 June 2017.
• Black-tailed Gull (1st summer). Nome Census Area, Alaska. 13 June 2017.
• Laughing Gull (1st summer). Kearny County, Kansas. 16 June 2017.
• First County Record.
• Sabine's Gull (adult). Adams County, Washington. 16 June 2017.
• California Gull (adult). Churchill & Manitoba County, Manitoba. 16 June 2017.
• Little Gull (2nd cycle). St. Clair County, Michigan. 22 June 2017.

10 Species Day-list:

Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. 05 June 2017.

Nome County, Alaska. 07 June 2017.

Barnstable County, Massachusetts. 07 June 2017.

Churchill & Manitoba County, Manitoba. 16 June 2017.

Notes:

Most notable this month is Thayer's Gull losing species rank with the AOS (28 June 2017). This taxon is now one of 3 subspecies of the Iceland Gull, Larus glaucoides thayeri.

Two adult Bonaparte's Gulls were observed near a gull colony in Raudasandur, Iceland. The observers report aggressive displays and flights, and hinted that the species is most likely nesting at the site. As of this summary (01 July 2017) no nest has been reported.

It appears Heermann's Gull has suffered another poor breeding season on Isla Rasa, Baja California. Over 100 adults were observed as far north as Vancouver by mid-June. Thus far only 3 juveniles have been reported this season. Observers are encouraged to carefully report ages seen in the field. One question to ponder is whether the number of 2nd cycle type birds has decreased - this may be an indirect way to census the previous year's young.

A dozen or so Lesser Black-backed Gulls - primarily subadults - spent the month scattered about the interior of the continent. Although this steady increase of summering Lessers is somewhat expected, the distribution is random and fragmented from year to year (most likely associated with available food sources).

An apparent Chandeleur Gull (American Herring x Kelp) was photographed on the Mississippi Gulf Coast on 21 June 2017. Plumage characteristics suggest a 4th cycle type.

June 2017 Quiz

Age: The largely dark brown wing coverts and substantial tail-band suggest a 1st cycle gull.

Identification: This is a hooded species with obvious eye-crescents. The dark-gray mantle and scapular feathers eliminate paler species such as Bonaparte's, Little and Sabine's Gull. Although not discernable from this single photo, the bill and body size should aid in the elimination process when observed in the field. The only reasonable choices for this 1st cycle gull are Franklin's and Laughing.

This month's quiz bird is a rather typical 1st winter Laughing Gull, photographed in Volusia County, Florida. January.

For comparison, consider this 1st cycle Franklin's Gull. Illinois. September.

First cycle Franklin's show a silvery gray wash across the greater coverts - and perhaps diagnostic - white outer edges to the outermost rectrices. Overall, this species will show whiter underparts and hindeck earlier in the season than Laughing. Finally, Franklin's will often show a much more demarcated semi-hood and wider eye crescents than similar-age Laughing Gulls.

Monthly Notables May 2017

• Black-tailed Gull (adult). Kitimat-Stikine County, British Columbia. 04 May 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (3rd cycle). Lambton County, Ontario. 06 May 2017.
• This individual, presumably seen on the Thunder Bay CBC in January 2017, then in Muskegon, Michigan in April 2017, was resighted just outside of Sarnia, Ontario near the St. Clair River.
• Black-headed Gul (1st cycle). Erie County, Ohio. 10 May 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Chippewa County, Michigan. 19 May 2017.
• Black-tailed Gull (2nd cycle type). San Francisco County, California. 23 May 2017.
• Ivory Gull (adult).  Bonavista/Trinity-Clarenville County, NF & Labrador. 23 May 2017.

May 2017 Quiz

Age: All 3 birds are in high molt, with a mixture of old and new upperparts. The visible primaries on the rightmost and leftmost birds appear to be 1st generation (note the primaries on the center bird aren't visible). Thus, it's safe to say these large white-headed gulls are roughly 1 year of age.

Identification: Both individuals with bi-colored bills look like typical 1st summer Herrings - size and structure rule out smaller species such as Ring-billed, and the thick bills and heavy chests seem to rule out California Gull. The left bird - with a mostly black bill and attenuated look to the rear - is different.

Here's a slightly underexposed image of this individual:

The upperparts are genuinely dark with dark centers. Note the bill is relatively long, but straight, ending with a slight droop. The striated neck markings, and dark stippled tips to the new wing coverts, recall Lesser Black-backed Gull, and that's what this month's gull was identified as.

This first summer Lesser was photographed in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. June.

Monthly Notables April 2017

• Ivory Gull (adult). Nome County, Alaska. 01 April 2017.
• Great Black-backed Gull (1st cycle). Larimer County, Colorado. 01 April 2017.
• Continued from March 2017.
• Black-headed Gull (1st cycle). Glynn County, Georgia. 04 April 2017.
• Laughing Gull (1st cycle). Monterey County, California. 05 April 2017.
• Sabine's Gull (adult type). Yolo County, California. 07 April 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Clatsop County, Oregon. 08 April 2017.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). Monterey County, California. 11 April 2017.
• 4th County record. 
• Laughing Gull (adult type). Lincoln County, Oregon. 11 April 2017.
• 4th State Record.
• Franklin's Gull (adult). Kings County, Nova Scotia. 14 April 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (3rd cycle type). Muskegon County, Michigan. 19 April 2017.
• Michigan's 3rd April record of Slaty-backed Gull. A photo from the Thunder Bay CBC in early January (2017) suggests this may be the same individual, found some 400 miles to the southeast.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult type). Socorro County, New Mexico. 29 April 2017.

Notes

1. Worthy of mention is what appears to have been a "surge" in Lesser Black-backed Gull sightings on the Central California coast this past season. Interestingly, this was also the case for Oregon where there were 3 coastal sightings (previous to this the state only had one coastal record).

April 2017 Quiz

Age: Rounded primary tips, gray scapulars and plain upperwing coverts all point to a 2nd cycle type large white-headed gull.

Identification: The pattern on the outer primaries - a so-called venetian blind effect - suggest a white-winged gull. The contrasting dark-brown outer webs with light-brown inner webs on the 5 outer primaries are reminiscent of Iceland Gull. The bill has retained much black with a pinched-base look, something we often find in Thayer's, and that's what the April Quiz bird was identified as.

2nd cycle Thayer's Iceland Gull. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. February 2017.

Monthly Notables March 2017

• Common Gull (adult). Rockingham County, New Hampshire. 01 March 2017.
• Laughing Gull (adult). Lorain County, Ohio. 02 March 2017.
• Pair-bonding behavior observed with adult Ring-billed all throughout the month.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). San Mateo County, California. 02 March 2017.
• Continuing from February.
• Yellow-legged Gull (adult). 03 March 2017.
• Presumed atlantis. Continuing.
• Ivory Gull (1st cycle). Essex County, Ontario. 03 March 2017.
• Found in Flint, Michigan a week later.
• Little Gull (1st cycle). Berrien County, Michigan. 03 March 2017.
• A single bird continued for several weeks - not associating with other small gulls.
• Ivory Gull (1st cycle). Flint Michigan. 09 March 2017.
• Seen everyday through 13 March 2017 and then found dead late that morning. The specimen was delivered to the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor).
• Black-legged Kittiwake (1st cycle). Berrien County, Michigan. 10 March 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Benton County, Washington. 12 March 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). St. John's County, Newfoundland. 17 March 2017.
• Kamchatka Gull (adult). Fairfield County, Connecticut. 20 March 2017.
• Black-headed Gull (adult). Sangamon County, Illinois. 23 March 2017.
• First county record.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (1st cycle). Monterey County, California. 24 March 2017.
• Originally found in January 2017 with complete juvenile plumage, this presumed Heuglin's Gull (L.f. heuglini), was later sighted at the same location with ~80% post-juvenile scapulars. Possible 1st record of this taxon in the lower 48 states.
• Great Black-backed Gull (1st cycle). Loveland County, Colorado. 26 March 2017.
• Common Gull (adult). Barnstable County, Massachusetts. 26 March 2017.
• Mew Gull (adult). Richmond County, New York. 29 March 2017.

Monthly Notes

• An adult type Laughing x Ring-billed hybrid was found in Lorain, Ohio on 06 March 2017. This while a pure adult Laughing Gull was hanging out in this same harbor with a large contingent of Ring-billed Gulls. This seems to now be an established phenomenon on the Great Lakes, where the occasional adult Laughing Gull is found with Ring-billeds, and shortly after, a putative hybrid is detected in the following year(s).
• An overdue proposal to lump Thayer's and Iceland Gull has been submitted to the AOS Classification Committee (Proposal Set 2017-C).

March 2017 Quiz

Age: An apparent 1st cycle gull with checkered upperparts and juvenile-like flight feathers.

Identification: The pale uppertail coverts with thin, black, tailband immediately point away from Herring Gull (and most other North American large gulls). The secondaries and outer primaries are strikingly dark, a pattern that's expected on both Lesser and Great Black-backed Gull. The wing is broad, and the overall peppered aspect to the wing coverts looks better for Great Black-backed. Structurally, the bill - peeking under the left wing - and the long thick legs add up to a GBBG.

Here's a better look at the March 2017 quiz bird.

1st cycle Great Black-backed Gull. Whiting, Indiana. March.

Monthly Notables February 2017

• Ross's Gull (1st cycle). Franklin County, New York. 01 February 2017.
• Continued from January. Last seen 02 February 2017. An unknown observer reported seeing the bird on Simon Pond on 23 February 2017.
• Ivory Gull (1st cycle). Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon County, Alaska. 01 February 2017.
• Kumlien's Gull (1st cycle). Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon County, Alaska. 03 February 2017.
• Thayer's Gull (adult). Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia. 04 February 2017.
• Kamchatka Gull (adult). Digby County, Nova Scotia. 04 February 2017.
• Possibly a returning bird from last winter.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Linconln County, Oregon. 04 February 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Grays Harbor County, Washington. 04 February 2017.
• Ross's Gull (adult). Washington County, Rhode Island. 04 February 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Erie County, Pennsylvania. 05 February 2017.
• Continuing from late January 2017.
• Kumlien's Gull (1st cycle). Lincoln County, Oregon. 06 February 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult type). Nanaimo County, British Columbia. 07 February 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. 13 February 2017.
• Laughing Gull (1st cycle). San Mateo County, California. 18 February 2017.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). San Mateo County, California. 19 February 2017.
• Common Gull (adult). Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. 20 February 2017.
• Black-tailed Gull (1st cycle). Monterey County, California. 22 February 2017.
• January bird. Relocated after going missing on 18 January 2017.
• Vega Gull (adult). Volusia County, Florida. 23 February 2017.
• 3rd occurrence for Daytona Beach Shores.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult & 2nd cycle). San Mateo County, California. 25 February 2017.
• Black-tailed Gull (1st cycle). San Mateo County, California. 25 February 2017.
• Photos revealed this to be the same individual first found last month some 80 miles to the south in Monterey County.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (2nd cycle). San Mateo County, California. 25 February 2017.
• A first cycle found here a few days later on 27 February 2017.
• Common Gull (adult). Essex County, Massachusetts. 25 February 2017.
• Sporting a metal band of its right leg, this individual was banded in Iceland in 2013. Some 2500 miles from its banding location, #581641 was still being seen at King's Beach as of 28 February 2017. 

Notes:

• On 20 February 2017, Donna Martin recorded an unexpected video of an adult Kumlien's Gull attempting to woo an adult Herring Gull. The Kumlien's was performing obvious courtship behaviors (head tossing, calling with mock-regurgitation). There are no known records of Herring and Iceland Gull hybridizing, and this pre-breeding behavior appears to be the first of its kind to be documented.
• San Mateo County, California lived up to its reputation of being a winter gull magnet. On 25 February 2017, 14 species were recorded with highlights being 2 Slaty-backed Gulls and the 1st cycle Black-tailed Gull that was first found in Monterey County last month. The county now has a whopping 22 gull species to boast about, not counting Vega Herring. 
• Worthy of mention in the February notes is the banded adult Common Gull from Essex County, Massachusetts (see above). This report confirms what many of us already suspect - a presence of gulls from the far North Atlantic wintering in North America.  

February 2017 Quiz

This month's quiz gives us a break from large gulls with a potpourri of smaller larids. Most of the birds in this photo show obvious signs of wear and active molt, hinting it may be the summer season in the northern hemisphere.

The 2 paler gulls in the center with yellow bills and blocky heads have a short-legged appearance. These are safely identified as 1st summer Black-legged Kittiwakes, with much of the upperparts and body feathers already renewed via the first prealternate molt. The individual in the front shows a worn, brownish outer primary, and black edging on the visible rectrices (retained juvenile feathers).

The darker, long-legged birds surrounding the kittiwakes all look like standard Laughing Gulls. There are at least 2 first summer LAGUs in the photo - can you point them out? The red-billed bird on the left with the complete hood is likely a definitive adult. The age of the others is questionable without an open wing. With this many Laughing Gulls in the flock, the photo must have been taken along the Atlantic seaboard or the Gulf Coast.

What about the bird in the back on the far left stretching its wing? It's a hooded species with a pointy black bill and a white "flash" to the outer primaries. The brown marks on the upperwing coverts and wrist also identify this as a 1st summer gull - a Bonaparte's now in its 2nd prebasic molt. If you zoom in on the photo, you'll notice a molt gap at the mid-primaries, separating the newer 2nd basic inner primaries from the retained juvenile (1st basic) primaries.

Barnstable County, Massachusetts. July.

Monthly Notables January 2017

• Mew Gull (1st cycle). Will County, Illinois. 01 January 2017.
• Western Gull (1st cycle). Salt Lake County, Utah. 01 January 2017.
• Continuing all winter. Here since October 2016.
• Iceland Gull (adult). Flathead County, Montana. 01 January 2017.
• Nominate glaucoides candidate.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Pierce County, Washington. 01 January 2017,
• Continuing. Reoccurring. One of 3 in the state this month.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Niagara County, New York. 01 January 2017.
• Seen crossing back and forth into Niagara County, Ontario. 
• Franklin's Gull (2nd cycle). Volusia County, Florida. 02 January 2017.
• Common Gull (adult). Somerset County, New Jersey. 03 January 2017.
• 2nd state record. Head streaking, relatively thick bill and slightly darker upperparts than Ring-billed suggest nominate canus.
• Laughing Gull (1st cycle). Colfax County, New Mexico. 02 January 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Walla Walla County, Washington. 07 January 2016.
• Presumably back for a second winter.
• Vega Gull (adult). Cameron County, Texas. 07 January 2017.
• Presumably back for a third winter.
• Iceland Gull (1st cycle). Salt Lake County, Utah. 02 January 2017. 
• Kumlien's Gull (1st cycle). Stanislaus County, Califormia. 08 January 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (2nd cycle). Monterey County, California. 09 January 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (3rd cycle). Clallam County, Washington. 12 January 2017.
• Ross's Gull (adult). San Mateo County, California. 12 January 2017.
• 2nd state record. A pair of Peregrine Falcons depredated this individual mid-afternoon on 14 January 2017. The bird appeared healthy and was actively feeding on worms before its demise.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (2nd cycle type). San Mateo County, California. 14 January 2017.
• Black-tailed Gull (1st cycle). Monterey County, California. 13 January 2017.
• Only 3 accepted records for the state prior to this. First county record.
• California Gull (adult). Winnebago County, Wisconsin. 16 January 2017.
• Slaty-backed Gull (1st cycle). San Diego County, California. 16 January 2017.
• Photos of a very convincing 2nd calendar year bird of what is almost undeniably a young Slaty-backed Gull - the first of its kind to be identified with such broad consensus in North America. This will be a 1st county record.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). Lincoln County, Oregon. 17 January 2017.
• Heermann's Gull (adult). Clark County, Nevada. 21 January 2017.
• Ross's Gull (1st cycle). Franklin County, New York. 25 January 2017.
• Only a couple records of this plumage in the lower 48 states. Excellent audio recording obtained by Andrew Spencer - perhaps the first time this age group has been recorded!
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Erie County, Pennsylvania. 27 January 2017
• Mew Gull (adult type). Kings County, New York. 27 January 2017.
• Possibly continuing from mid-December.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult). Shasta County, California. 27 January 2017.
• First county record.

Miscellaneous Notes

• A putative adult California x Ring-billed Gull was found and photographed by Mark Sawyer in Placer County, California. 06 January 2017. Beside showing a paling iris, the markings on the crown and nape were fine and thin, similar to Ring-billed. The primary pattern showed less black than expected on a typical California Gull and the gray upperparts appeared a shade paler than surrounding California Gulls.
• An adult Iceland Gull was found dead in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin on 05 January 2017. The finder, Tood Leech, discovered the gull with all of its outer primaries plucked on both wings. This is unfortunate considering the outer primaries were thought to be all white on this individual. There were no signs of injury and the cause of death is still unknown. This is the 3rd Iceland Gull to be found dead by birders on the Great Lakes this winter. 
• Two video recordings with audio of presumed Kumlien's Gulls were taken this month by Donna Martin. One of a 2nd cycle bird giving short calls with head tossing, and another of an adult giving a long call. There's an obvious raspy and screechy quality to both vocalizations. 14 January and 23 January 2017, respectively. Summerside, Prince Edward Island.

January 2017 Quiz

Age: This individual shows several plumage characters that are obvious, sub-adult, traits. The tailband, brown marginal coverts and "dirty" black primary coverts, combined with a heavily marked bill, all suggest a bird that isn't an adult (despite the largely white body). The plumage looks typical of a 3rd cycle type. Note that the broad white edges on the flight feathers (specifically the tips to the secondaries and inner primaries) are not expected on a 2nd cycle.

Identification: Few gulls in North America show a menacing pale eye such as this with pale gray upperparts, and pink legs. The bill is not dramatically large or bulbous-tipped. This species is one that anyone who has a veritable interest in gulls should know - the archetypical seagull, if you will. The January quiz bird is an American Herring Gull. Although many 3rd cycle Herrings show a p10 mirror by now, this one does not.

Here's an open wing of this individual:

THIRD CYCLE TYPE HERRING GULL. CHICAGO. FEBRUARY.

Monthly Notables December 2016

• Iceland Gull (1st cycle). Fairbanks NS County, Alaska. 01 December 2016.
• Possible nominate, glaucoides.
• Franklin's Gull (1st cycle). Barnstable County, Massachusetts. 04 December 2016.
• A first cycle bird with dark brown upperwings and nearly absent PA molt.

• Glaucous Gull (1st cycle). Washington County, Vermont. 07 December 2016.
• First record for central Vermont.
• Ivory Gull (adult). St. John's County, Newfoundland. 09 December 2016.
• Seen with a "clean" puncture wound on the right side of its neck.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Brown County, Wisconsin, 10 December 2016.
• Second consecutive year this species has appeared at this site.
• California Gull (adult). Cuyahoga County, Ohio. 10 December 2016.
• Common Gull (adult). Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia. 10 December 2016.
• Wingtip pattern close to Kamchatka but paler upperparts suggestive of a canus outlier. 
• Mew Gull (adult). Kings County, New York. 12 December 2016.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Pierce County, Washington. 17 December 2016.
• Continuing.
• Black-headed Gull (1st cycle). Volusia County, Florida. 18 December 2016.
• Thayer's Gull (1st cycle). Oswego County, New York. 21 December 2016.
• Kumlien's Gull (1st cycle). Salt Lake County, Utah. 18 December 2016.
• Continuing from November.
• California Gull (1st cycle). Yalobusha County, Mississippi. 21 December 2016.
• Sabine's Gull (1st cycle). Brevard County, Florida. 22 December 2016.
• A tattered and sickly looking bird with worn upperparts. Interestingly, the bird showed a bluish tibia similar to many Herrings on the Atlantic coast.
• Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Polk County, Iowa. 23 December 2016.
• First county record.
• KELP GULL (adult). St. John's County, Newfoundland. 23 December 2016.
• Undoubtedly the rarest and most unexpected gull sighting of the month, if not the entire year! First province record. Now the northern most occurrence for this species, worldwide. Relocated briefly on Christmas Day but not seen since.
• Black-legged Kittiwake (juvenile). Mohave County, Arizona. 24 December 2016.
• Ivory Gull (1st cycle). Delaware County, Ohio. 29 December 2016.
• 2nd State Record. A one-day wonder seen and photographed by a single observer.

Miscellaneous Notes:

1. Just south of the ABA area, a 1st cycle Audouin's Gull was found and photographed on 10 December 2016 in Trinidad. Not only is this a 1st record for the island, it's a 1st record for all of the New World. Certainly not a species that was on anyone's radar.
2. A first cycle kumlieni type was observed for a couple of days in Chatham-Kent County, Ontario before being found dead on 01 December 2016. Jermey Hatt salvaged the specimen and delivered it to the Royal Ontario Museum.  
3. A putative Laughing x Ring-billed Gull was photographed and observed by many in Michigan City, Indiana (LaPorte County) on 03 December 2016. Although notably smaller than purported hybrid individuals of this combination, the wingtip and basic plumage head pattern do match up to LAGU x RBGU. Photos here.
4. Cathy Sheeter documented via video a pair of 1st cycle Herring Gulls begging an adult for over 30 minutes. The adult gull subsequently regurgitated food for them. 10 December 2016. New Jersey. 
5. An apparent European Herring x Glaucous Gull (so-called Viking Gull) was observed in St. John's, Newfoundland on 18 December 2016 (Alvan Buckley, Bruce Mactavish). Plumage was entirely juvenile.
6. At least 3 reasonable candidates for nominate glaucoides Iceland Gull occurred this month.
• First cycle from Fairbanks NS County, Alaska. 01 December 2016. 
• Adult from Simcoe County, Ontario. 03 December 2016.
• Adult from Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. 17 December 2016.

December 2016 Quiz

Age: Widely spaced bars on the lower scapulars and lesser/median coverts, along with marbled greater coverts, and rounded primary tips suggest a 2nd cycle large gull.

Identification: This dopey-eyed bird with a dark post-ocular line, bicolored bill and noticeable downward gape, should look familiar to birders from the western half of the continent.The long wings and attenuated rear, with medium gray scapulars coming in readily push the ID in favor of one species: California Gull. This month's quiz bird - a 2nd cycle CAGU - was photographed in San Mateo County, California in mid-September.