ML618681934

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Northbound flyover with a loose group of California Gulls passing north over the ag fields (!!) a couple minutes after 8:00. Photos. Smallish gull with complete black hood, massive white eye-arcs, stout reddish bill, relatively dark mantle, black on wingtips restricted to well-defined patch near the tips of outer primaries, not as extensive as in Laughing nor extending to create a narrow black trailing edge to the end of the wing as in Bonaparte's, etc. Seems like a fair number of gulls cut the corner here, as it were, and cross the ag fields instead of rounding Pigeon Pt. properly. I wonder how many Franklin's have taken this flight path and escaped notice on previous seawatches here. Incredibly lucky with timing on this Franklin's; it happened to be passing over the field just as we were driving out along the southern leg of Pigeon Pt. Road and we were able to whip up Hwy 1 to the north end of Pigeon Pt. Road in time to catch it as it passed again and obtain better views and reasonable photos.

Technical information

Original file size

1.81 MB