Strong westerlies in the Fall - especially October - almost always drop a few Franklin's Gulls on the shores of southern Lake Michigan. Yesterday, while working the gulls at the Miller Beach Lakewatch in Lake County, Indiana, these 3 came barging in from the, yes you guessed it, west!
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| This adult type Franklin's is most likely a second cycle, per the black spots on the primary coverts as well as the extensive black outer primary pattern. |
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| An exquisite plumage! Hatch year Franklin's have a certain prestige associated with them that they seem to boast. |
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| The underbody shows a tailband that doesn't extend all the way to the outer edges of the outer rectrices. |
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| Lighting was poor and the 30 mph northwest winds made for a challenging session. The gulls didn't seem to mind!! |
