ML289051381

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Media notes

HERG on the right. GWGU in the centre.

Observation details

Seen by Kirk Zufelt earlier in the day on the Canadian side in Sault Ste. Marie. I set up at the middle platform on the Canadian side of the border when I saw approximately 20 gulls loafing across the river in Chippewa County. At about 13:45 (1:45 p.m.) Eastern. After scanning the gulls with my spotting scope (TSN 88 Kowa) I first could only see Herring Gulls (HERG) of various age classes and plumages. On the second pass I noticed one gull near the HERG but not congregating as closely as the others. It was about the size of or slightly larger than the HERG as I had an immature HERG on a rock adjacent (right side) to it to compare the size (there were other HERG to the left but slightly further away. The first thing that jumped out was the primaries were not black but uniformly gray like the mantle. From there I knew it had to be something different so the notes I have at the time were: I knew about the Glaucous-winged Gull but I also knew that Iceland (“Kumelin’s) gulls have been seen too so I wanted to make sure I took notes in case my photos were not clear enough. -large yellowish bill (similar in size to the HERG with a large spot on the gonys (it looked dark red at a distance). -mantle primarily uniformly gray -as it stretched its wings I could clearly see that the rump was white as was the tail feathers. -no black primaries -large white tertiary crescent (Kirk Zufelt pointed that out in the photos I sent him) -the bird was either a 4th winter or an adult -I could see the nape had brown streaking or spotting on it. It was distant but you could tell it was not a clean white and you see the brown. -The eye was dark Inexplicably all the gulls took off at once at low altitude and flew back towards the Canadian side of the border. As they passed near the viewing platform I was on I was able to take photos of the passing birds and you could see on this bird that the mantle and the wings were uniformly grey and white tips. My first thought was it might be an Iceland “Kumelin’s gull (ICGU) but the HERG were my first clue that it was not right. -this gull was slightly bigger or the same size as the HERG and ICGU were typically slightly smaller based on my experience. -based on my experience locally, across Ontario and the Arctic with ICGU these birds also appear dainty as the Sibley’s guide indicates and their bill is relatively small looking. -this bird had a HERG size bill with a dark spot on the gonys (which I took to being red as it appeared like it). -the real clincher to me was the fly-by as the wings were wider than the HERG below it so this was not a smaller gull but slightly larger.-the uniformity to the mantle and wings was striking along with the white wing tips.This could not be a ICGU and was a GWGU and in all likelihood the one that Kirk Zufelt saw about 1.5 hours earlier. Since I have seen countless GWGU on the Pacific coast (British Columbia) I am absolutely confident of the identification Distance from bird(s) and how measured or estimated (indicate which): Initially, about 600 feet, however, when it flew by it was about 70 feet away.Behaviour and habitat Loafing at the St. Mary’s River rapids and then flying. Rocky river edge, fast flowing river but this bird and the HERG were in shallow, slow- moving water or on the river’s edge, on the rocks. Light (sunny versus cloudy, position of sun in relation to bird[s] and you). Overcast I used the Sibley app during my observation as I was checking the size, colours and placement of features on the ICGU and GWGU to compare against this bird. The app helped, however, I have substantial experience with ICGU in Canada and I have seen countless GWGU in British Columbia, Canada so I know what they both look like. The reference guide only confirmed my suspicions

Technical information

Model

SM-G950W

ISO

50

Focal length

4.3 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/1.7

Shutter speed

1/162 sec

Dimensions

1285 pixels x 1342 pixels

Original file size

392.73 KB