31 August 2017

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.
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