Finally, I had an interesting gull at the compost in 2016. I've done 13 crow censuses out there this year, and have had lots of Herring and Great Black-backed gulls, but only a few individual Ring-billed Gulls and a 1cy Lesser Black-backed Gull to add to that. Today I had an adult GLAUCOUS GULL, first loafing in the field above the piles, then actively feeding on the piles. It's probably the same bird that I've seen at Stewart Park, and the same one that Jay saw at the compost in January. But, it's my first white-winged gull at the compost in 2016.
I also had what I believe to be a so-called "Nelson's Gull," a hybrid of Herring and Glaucous gull. It was a 2nd or 3rd cycle bird. Big, flat head, sharply bicolored bill. It had some mantle feathers coming in, which were whiter than surrounding Herring Gulls. Wing tips were dark but silverish with pale edges. Again lighter then nearby Herring Gulls. There are always Herring Gulls around that are very similar, including the non-black wingtips, but this one had mostly white tertials and greater secondary coverts that looked different. I found several 1st or 2nd cycle Herrings with similar coverts, but not the whole Glaucousy package. Perhaps the coolest birds were the two immature BALD EAGLES that terrorized the compost crowd for a while. Both eagles were flying over at same time. Both very white in body and wings, one with a darker head. They were distinguishable, but they looked so much alike one wonders if they are siblings traveling together. We still have so much to learn about animal movements and associations! Photos in the checklist at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27703623. Kevin Kevin J. McGowan, Ph.D. Instructor Home Study Course in Bird Biology Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithaca, NY 14850 hst...@cornell.edu<mailto:hst...@cornell.edu> 607-254-2452 -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
