ML141099681

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Tags

Field notes/sketch

Media notes

Field sketch

Observation details

A first-winter bird in the company of 3 Glaucous-winged Gulls; about the size of a Mew Gull (larger and more robust than Bonaparte's Gull, with a more direct flight style, but very similar wing pattern). Once I was able to park my car and get my binoculars out, the bird had unfortunately left the parking lot and was circling upward. I watched it for about five minutes as it spiraled higher and higher, circling overhead, until it flew off toward the east. Small gull, about 2/3 the size of the GWGUs it was with; mostly white below, with a narrow black terminal bar across the tail; underwing very pale gray, with a narrow white "leading edge" along the outer primaries, narrow black trailing edge across the tips of the primaries, and a noticeable, dark dusky gray area on the inner primaries (which rules out Bonaparte's Gull, which has a much lighter underwing). Upper wings and back pale bluish-gray, with a darker gray carpal bar, dark inner primaries, contrasting with a white wedge on the outer primaries, dark trailing edge to wing; darkish secondaries. The bird was too far away to discern bill color/pattern, but the bill was relatively large, not as petit as in a BOGU. Noticeable dark patch on the side of the head behind the eye. Based on the wing pattern, I initially concluded that the bird had to be a Bonaparte's Gull, but size, flight style, and the presence of a dusky area on the underwing strongly point toward Black-headed Gull - a species I am utterly familiar with from Europe. Attached is a field sketch I drew from memory upon my return home: Record accepted by the OBRC (No. 055.1-13-08).

Technical information

Dimensions

2500 pixels x 1572 pixels

Original file size

1.1 MB