|
English
and Scientific names: |
Glaucous Gull Larus hypoerboreus
|
|
Number
of individuals: |
1,
1st or 2nd winter |
|
Locality:
LOUISIANA: |
Vermilion |
|
Specific
Locality: |
Near
end of Lurby Road, off of Hwy 167, ca. 3.5 miles N of Abbeville. |
|
Date(s)
when observed: |
January
19, 2010 |
|
Time(s)
of day when observed: |
ca.
3:45-4:10 |
|
Reporting
observer and address: |
Paul
Conover Lafayette,
LA |
|
Other observers accompanying
reporter who also identified the bird(s): |
None |
|
Other observers who
independently identified the bird(s) |
None |
|
Light conditions
(position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): |
Not
great. Overcast day, bad for photography, OK for looking through scope. |
|
Optical
equipment: |
Nikon
ED Fieldscope III 20-60X, Zeiss 10s, Sony Camcorder with 60X optical zoom, Lumix
point and shoot (through scope). |
|
Distance
to bird(s): |
100
yards |
|
Duration
of observation: |
About
25-30 minutes of viewing, interrupted only by changing lenses, etc. |
|
Habitat:
|
Shallowly
flooded field, perhaps 1 mile E of Meaux landfill. Many other gulls present. |
|
Behavior
of bird: |
Bird
sat and preened, at one point harassed another gull, then flew off with the
rest of the flock as they left the area for the day. |
|
Description: |
Very
large white gull, bigger than Herrings around it. Appeared solidly white at
the distance and in the light in which it was viewed. Legs
thick, pale pinkish, typical of Glaucous. Bill similar in color, with black
tip. Bill deep and stout. The black tip on the bill may have been diffuse on
its border, and the bird may have had a pale eye—this wasn’t clearly visible given
the distance. In other words, I wasn’t able to tell if this was a first or
second year bird. Head
large, domed. Eye small and beady, somewhat centrally located. Bird
heavy-bodied and thick-necked. In
flight, appeared all white; no darker markings on wings or tail visible. |
|
Voice: |
Not
heard. |
|
Similar species: |
Albino
gulls always possible, but large size and bulky structure of bill and body
rule out most other species. |
|
Photographs or tape
recordings obtained? |
Poor
photos. Video available but basically shows little detail beyond size and overall
color. |
|
Previous experience with
this species: |
This
is the 5th individual I’ve seen, all in Louisiana, and I’ve been
able to study each well. |
|
Identification
aids: |
|
|
This
description is written from: |
Memory,
study of photos. |
|
Are you positive of your
identification? If not, explain: |
Yes. |
|
Reporter:
|
Paul
Conover
|
|
Date
and time: |
02/14/2010 |