|
English
and Scientific names: |
California Gull (Larus californicus
albertaensis)
|
|
Number
of individuals: |
1;
basic plumage 3rd or definitive cycle? |
|
Locality:
LOUISIANA: |
Vermilion |
|
Specific
Locality: |
Lurby
Rd, 3.3 mi NNE of Abbeville |
|
Date(s)
when observed: |
23
Jan 2010 |
|
Time(s)
of day when observed: |
10:45am |
|
Reporting
observer and address: |
Erik
I. Johnson |
|
Other observers
accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): |
Matt
and Gary Pontiff |
|
Other observers who
independently identified the bird(s) |
overcast;
even light making scoping conditions very nice |
|
Light conditions
(position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): |
Swarovski
10x42 EL binoculars |
|
Optical
equipment: |
Nikon
60mm scope; Nikon D100 camera, 80-400mm ED lens |
|
Distance
to bird(s): |
about
75 m |
|
Duration
of observation: |
15
min |
|
Habitat:
|
flooded
cutover rice field |
|
Behavior
of bird: |
resting/loafing
with 1000 other gulls |
|
Description: |
Appeared
smaller than Herring Gulls and perhaps with a slightly darker back.
Plumage appeared definitive basic with an all-gray back, wing, and wing
coverts (no brown) and black and white tips to outer primaries. P7 was
mostly gray, with the gray inner webbing extending nearly completely towards
the tip, giving the impression of a relatively narrow black wing tip - this
is suggestive of L. c. albertaensis (Howell and Dunn 2007). The head
and especially nape were heavily streaked and the iris was dark/black, much
different than most similarly-aged Herring Gulls (which average less nape
streaking and have pale irises by 3rd cycle). The soft-part colors were
more like a 3rd cycle bird, with an olive-yellow bill (and the bill appeared
relatively long and narrow compared to Herring Gulls) with a black
subterminal ring. The legs were dull grayish-green, perhaps with a
slightly pinkish hue (which apparently is ok for 3rd cycle CAGU according to
Howell and Dunn 2007). The rectrices appeared to have a few remnant
blackish spots (seen in flight), again suggesting 3rd cycle. |
|
Voice: |
not
heard |
|
Similar species: |
Much
larger than Ring-billed Gull. Most like Herring Gulls, but with longer,
narrower bill (and olive-yellow seems strange for HEGU), a dark iris (by this
age HEGU should have pale irises), and gray legs (HEGU usually have pink legs
by this age). |
|
Photographs or tape
recordings obtained? |
photographs
by me -more available upon request. Matt Pontiff was also photographing the
bird and he has a much larger lens than me so he should have better
photographs |
|
Previous experience with
this species: |
Virtually
none - I thought I documented one last winter in the same area (adult
HEGU-like bird with a dark iris), but never saw the leg color. In any
case, it was a good excersize for learning HEGU-like birds, such that I am
more familiar with the identifying features of vagrant gulls. In my
younger days, I saw a few in their expected range, but did not spend much
time studying them |
|
Identification
aids: |
Sibley
Guide to North American Birds at the time of observation; Howell and Dunn
(2007) immediately after observation |
|
This
description is written from: |
Notes
after the observation |
|
Are you positive of your
identification? If not, explain: |
yes |
|
Date
and time: |
30 Jan 2010 9:30am |