ML645963909

Dettagli dell'osservazione

surprise find in the gull flock on the ball fields. adult. initially tipped off by the back color - a shade of gray between AHGU and LBBG. the legs were a dirty yellow and bill pale and tubular with a black band near the tip crossing both mandibles and a red spot just proximal to the black band on lower mandible. extended shape with long wings; size was significantly smaller than AHGU. In flight, the bird appeared to have a lot of dark in the outer primaries. flight shots revealed mirrors on p9 and p10, with the p10 mirror separated from the apical tip by a black band. thick black band at tip of p5 and p4 unmarked. eye was dark, and head had lots of dark markings that were more concentrated on the hindneck, with another darker line posterior to eye. gape was downcurved. dark eye, small size, and unique bill pattern with adjacent black and red marks rule out LBBG x AHGU and YLGU. this is likely the same adult found by Alvan Buckley on 10/17 at Quidi Vidi lake. if so, it has been in hiding for 6 weeks.