30 June 2022

June 2022 Quiz

 

May. Wisconsin.


This is a three-cycle hooded gull. The thick white eye crescents, and broad white trailing edge quite readily limit our choices to Franklin's Gull or Laughing Gull. 

The identification of this individual is critically dependent on correct aging criteria. Note the thin black shaft streaks on the primary coverts and on p6-p8. Also, there is white freckling on the chin, cheeks and around the base of the bill (difficult to see here, but quite noticeable in the field. click on image to enlarge). The bill color is dark and drab for May. All of these features point to a subadult type, despite the adult-like gray upperparts and unmarked tail. In fact, the central tail feathers show a distinctive gray wash, and this is a big pro-Franklin's feature. 

Also, consider the first mid-primary (p6) with complete black subterminal band, and note the white tongue tip that acts as a partition between the gray portion of the feathers and black band. In Laughing Gull, the pattern is solid gray adjacent to solid black, with no white tongue tip. Finally, notice the large gray base to the outer web of p8. Laughing Gull generally has black come up to the primary coverts here. A fleeting look at a bird in flight with such limited black here should immediately elicit thoughts of Franklin's.

Our May Quiz bird is a 1st alternate type Franklin's Gull.

01 June 2022

May 2022 Monthly Notables

Sightings:

  • Heermann's Gull (1st cycle). Baltimore County, Maryland. 05 May 2022.
    • Continuing from April 2022.
  • Yellow-footed Gull (1st cycle). Clark County, Nevada. 05 May 2022.
    • Continuing from April 2022.
  • Thayer's Gull (1st cycle). Bernalillo County, New Mexico. 05 May 2022.
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull (1st cycle). Missoula County, Montana. 05 May 2022.
  • Laughing Gull (2nd cycle). Bent County, Colorado. 06 May 2022.
  • Ivory Gull (21 adults). Nome County, Alaska. 08 May 2022.
  • Black-headed Gull (1st cycle). Carteret County, North Carolina. 08 May 2022.
  • Slaty-backed Gull (adult). Sitka County, Alaska. 10 May 2022.
  • Laughing Gull (2nd cycle). Cochise County, Arizona. 11 May 2022.
  • Short-billed Gull (adult). Fort McMurray County, Alberta. 11 May 2022.
  • Sabine's Gull (adult type). Dare County, North Carolina. 13 May 2022.
  • Little Gull (1st cycle). Marin County, California. 14 May 2022.
  • Little Gull (1st cycle). Deschutes County, Oregon. 17 May 2022. 
  • Thayer's Gull (1st cycle). Fremont County, Wyoming. 17 May 2022.
  • Black-legged Kittiwake (1st cycle). Pinellas County, Florida. 18 May 2022.
    • First detected in April, captured, rehabbed and released.
  • Slaty-backed Gull (3rd cycle). Los Angeles County, California. 19 May 2022.
    • Likely the Monterey County bird from late April 2022.
  • Ross's Gull (adult). Del Norte County, California. 20 May 2022.
    • 4th State Record, pending acceptance. 
  • Heermann's Gull (3rd cycle). Dare County, North Carolina. 20 May 2022.
  • California Gull (3rd cycle). Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. 21 May 2022.
  • Little Gull (1st cycle). Santa Cruz County, California. 22 May 2022.
  • Franklin's Gull (adult). Androscoggin County, Maine. 23 May 2022.
  • Glaucous Gull (2nd cycle). Chatham County, Georgia. 24 May 2022.
  • Thayer's Gull (adult). Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. 27 May 2022.
  • Black-legged Kittiwake (1st cycle). Racine County, Wisconsin. 28 May 2022.
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull (2nd cycle). Fort McMurray County, Alberta. 29 May 2022.
    • 1st County Record.