One adult breeding plumage Lesser Black-backed Gull mingling with 100+ Ring-billed Gulls and a handful of Herring Gulls on Otter Lake (Crow River) along MN Hwy. 7 just west of Hutchinson, seen this evening (03/30/15) between about 4:45 and 5:45 pm., preening and loafing on the (quickly receding) ice shelf in the middle of the lake; along with Bernice and Earl Hall, Ken Ellstrom, and Kristine Leuze. Black mantle contrasted well with grayer mantle of nearby Ring-bills, and was also slightly larger. The whole group eventually flew off to the north. Also, Comm. Goldeneyes, Comm. Mergansers, Bufflehead, and flyover Cooper's Hawk. I will look again in the morning and post any updates.
Pete Hoeger, Hutchinson ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html