ML619862253

Observation details

Found yesterday afternoon by Matt Tobin. I relocated it on the beach at 9:50 this morning, where it was sleeping, head tucked, with a flock of around 20 HERG and RBGU. At 11:33 it flew south along the shore, foraging in Lake Michigan south of the piers, but it returned to the beach within 10 minutes. It was the only dark-mantled bird in the flock, really stood out. About the size of the RBGU, but long-winged and more “elegant”, proportionally. Breeding plumage. Dark grey mantle, similar shade as lesser black-backed gull. Thick black band on white tail, with a thin white border on the very tip of the tail. Black primaries, inner primaries with white tips but outer 4 or so seemed to have the white tip nearly worn off. Bright yellow legs. Yellow eye with red orbital ring. Yellow bill, very long proportionally. Red tip on bill, entire tip is red. Upper mandible with large black smudge. In flight, totally unique with dark mantle, long-winged, thin white trailing edge of the wing, extensive black primaries with small white tips, thick black band on tail. What an amazing bird! Incredible find by Matt!