|
English and Scientific names: |
California Gull (L. californicus
albertaensis)
|
|
Number of individuals: |
1, advanced 3rd
cycle (or 4th?) in alternate plumage |
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Locality: LOUISIANA: |
Vermilion |
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Specific Locality: |
5.3km N of Abbeville along US-167 |
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Date(s) when observed: |
20 Feb 2008 |
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Time(s) of day when
observed: |
1300 |
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Reporting observer and address: |
Erik I. Johnson 102 Goodwood Cir |
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Other observers accompanying reporter who
also identified the bird(s): |
none |
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Other
observers who independently identified the bird(s): |
none |
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Light
conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount
of light): |
overcast - provided
even, cool lighting |
|
Optical equipment: |
Swarovski EL
10x42 binoculars; Swift 20-60x spotting scope; digiscoped with Nikon D100 and
80-400mm ED zoom lens shooting through Swift scope |
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Distance to
bird(s): |
~100m |
|
Duration of
observation: |
20 min |
|
Habitat: |
agriculture - old
crawfish/rice field |
|
Behavior of bird: |
loafing and preening
with Ring-billed Gulls and Herring Gulls; occasionally flushing, but
resettling. Eventually flushed to field farther away and bird lost in the
group |
|
Description: |
I did not see the leg
color. What I did see was a large
gray-backed gull, with nearly all-black primary tips in the folded wing. It was in alternate plumage, unlike any of
the other Herring Gulls with it, but had retained a narrow dark band on the
tail and given the mostly dark outer primaries, this bird is likely in its
alternative 3rd cycle (regardless of species). However, the broad mirrors in p10 and p9 and lack of black in
primary coverts suggest that it may be a definitive (4th) cycle bird with
retained 3rd cycle tail feathers. The
eyes were consistently dark at any angle (I could always see pale eyes in
neighboring adult Herring Gulls). The
bill had a bold black ring with a red gonys.
The mantle color was slightly darker than surrounding Herring Gulls at
some angles, but not others. The head
appeared less bulky than surrounding Herring Gulls, which may have been
caused by the dark eye and lack of nape streaking, but I felt this difference
was real. |
|
Voice: |
none heard |
|
Similar
species: |
Herring Gull would be
the likely alternative, but admittedly without seeing the leg color,
identification is less straight-forward.
Herring should have pale eyes by this age, especially once they reach
the 3rd cycle alternate plumage, and this bird is at least that old. Assuming this feature alone eliminates
Herring Gull, it's size and bulk and pale mantle color suggest it is of the
larger L. c. albertaensis subspecies.
Note the other features regarding shape and mantle color in box 15. |
|
Photographs
or tape recordings obtained? |
yes |
|
Previous
experience with this species: |
seen only a few times
in normal range, never in Louisiana |
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Identification aids: |
Sibley Guide, Howell and Dunn's Gulls of the Americas, Internet |
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This description is written from: |
notes taken immediately
after observation |
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Are
you positive of your identification? If not, explain: |
no; I struggle with
gulls, but this bird jumped out of the flock because it was the only
alternate-plumaged large gull in the flock and because of eye color and
shape, I feel strongly that it was not a Herring Gull |
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Reporter: |
Erik I. Johnson
|
|
Date and time: |
24 Nov 2008 -
1500hrs |