Hi everyone, I stopped by Black Dog Lake/Reservoir today from around 4:40-5pm, spending that time near the outlet trying to sort through the distant flock of gulls across the lake.
When I arrived a KINGFISHER flew up from below the outlet into the trees, calling as it flew. In the corner of the lake were a few TRUMPETER SWANS (down from the 11 I saw there yesterday morning) and a few Canada Geese (B. c. maxima?). Also in the same area yesterday during the late morning was a female RED-BREASTED MERGANSER below the outlet with a flock of 12+ HOODED-MERGANSERS. I tried to scope the flock of 200+ gulls (mostly HERRING GULLS) but visibility wasn't all that good due to the fading light, cold air in my eyes, and steam off the water. Stil, 4 birds caught my eye among the masses, all were "white winged" gulls (Glaucous, Iceland or Glaucous-winged type birds) however only 1-2 were seen well enough to identify (1 Ad. and 1 1st/2nd year GLAUCOUS GULLS). Bird #1: A 1st or 2nd winter GLAUCOUS GULL. Pale creamy bird with wingtips as pale or paler than the upper parts and a strongly bicoloured bill. Not a super-pale individual though -- very reminiscent of the glaucous gull seen this past Sunday while looking for the Ross's Gull near the 494 bridge. Bird #2: A slighly smaller, paler young bird that was about Herring Gull sized (maybe a bit larger, if anything). I didn't get great looks at this bird as it blended in a little too well with the snow and ice under the poor viewing conditions, the bill wasn't ever seen. Other than the pale creamy white plumage (including wing-tips) I would guess a paler 1st/2nd winter smaller Glaucous or maybe larger Iceland Gull, etc. -- but who knows... Bird #3: Apparently an adult GLAUCOUS GULL. A larger, paler bird than the surounding adult Herring Gulls. The bird was facing away from me and was clearly paler than the nearby Herring Gulls. It had noticable white scapular crescents and wing tips more pale than the upperparts, at times looking almost white (but they could have been grayish white -- again, the poor visibility). I don't have any guides with me, however looking at on-line resources I don't think it could have been something else like Glaucous-winged Gull - the only other option I could think of (?), based on the larger size and pale wingtips. Also, the head was only lightly marked if anything, wing tips obviously paler than the light gray upper parts, large size, etc. Bill and legs were never seen. Bird #4: A similarly pale looking young bird, perhaps a little darker than the other two pale young gulls. This bird was only seen from the back later during my stay, when the light was getting bad -- but it was as pale or a little darker than the young Glaucous, and noticeably paler than nearby 1st winter Herring Gulls. I would guess this was also a young Glaucous Gull based on larger size and pale plumage, however I really didn't see it all that well and couldn't rule out Glaucous-winged or something weird. Wing tips weren't seen really well, but didn't contrast noticeably with the rest of the bird. Good birding, -Paul Hurtado
