Monthly Notables June 2019

Sightings:

• Black-headed Gull (1st cycle). Iosco County, Michigan. 01 June 2019.
• Heermann's Gull (adult type). Gila County, Arizona. 03 June 2019.
• Bonaparte's Gull (1st cycle). Harrison County, Mississippi. 03 June 2019.
• Ross's Gull (1st cycle). Nome County, Alaska. 06 June 2019.
• Glaucous Gull (1st cycle). Jefferson County, Louisiana. 08 June 2019.
• Laughing Gull (1st cycle). Faribault, Minnesota. 09 June 2019.
• Thayer's Gull (adult). Orleans County, New York. 14 June 2019.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (2nd cycle). Matagorda County, Texas. 14 June 2019.
• Little Gull (1st cycle). Woodford County, Illinois. 17 June 2019.
• Sabine's Gull (adult). Central Okanagan District, British Columbia. 28 June 2019.
• Black-headed Gull (adult). Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia. 28 June 2019.

June 2019 Quiz

Age: The above bird looks typical for an adult, large white-headed gull, while the bottom gull appears to be a typical 1st cycle.

Identification: Beginning with the adult, the slaty gray upperparts point to a black-backed. The bulbous banana-yellow bill and clean white head have the stamp of a Western Gull (although Yellow-footed can't be safely ruled out without leg color). The 1st cycle doesn't appear to be the same species based on the thinner and smaller bill, as well as narrower wings. The lack of an inner primary window, with double-brown "secondary" bars, and sharply demarcated black tip to the bill, give us every reason to believe this is a California Gull. The medium gray post-juvenile scapulars that have come in also support California Gull.

June's quiz birds are indeed an adult Western and 1st cycle California Gull.
Santa Cruz County, California. January.