A first-cycle California Gull appeared at Canal Park in Duluth today while I was counting gulls. Although missed for the Duluth CBC yesterday, this is the latest date for this species in Minnesota, with the previous latest date an adult bird in Duluth on 15 December 1984. Interestingly, today’s California Gull is the same individual that was present at the Superior Entry and Wisconsin Point from 19-22 October 2014, but the bird had not been reported for two months. I was able to determine that it was the same bird by comparing my photos to photos that Peder Svingen had taken back in October, specifically looking at the detailed pattern of each uppertail covert feather. A photo of this bird was posted on MOU Recently seen and additional photos can be seen at http://www.pbase.com/karlbardon/california_gull_2014.
Today was a phenomenal day for gulls at Canal Park, with over 1600 Herring Gulls, 29 Glaucous Gulls (18 first-cycle, 4 second-cycle, 2 third-cycle, and 5 adults), 15 Thayer’s Gulls (5 first-cycle, 2 second-cycle, and 8 adults), and 1 Iceland Gull (first-cycle). There were also 2 adult and 1 first-cycle Iceland/Thayer’s Gulls, birds that appeared to be Iceland Gulls at first but detailed examination of the wingtip pattern showed potential gene flow with Thayer’s Gull. This is the second highest count of Glaucous Gulls in Minnesota, and I was able to find two additional hybrid second-cycle Nelson’s Gulls (Glaucous x Herring) among them, with photos of these birds at http://www.pbase.com/karlbardon/nelsons_gull_2014 The continuing Common Eider in Duluth has become a fixture at Canal Park the last few days where it can be approached within a few feet. A detailed photo study from today is at http://www.pbase.com/karlbardon/common_eider Karl Bardon Duluth, MN www.pbase.com/karlbardon ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html