|
English
and Scientific names: |
Thayer's Gull
|
|
Number
of individuals: |
1 first cycle |
|
Locality:
LOUISIANA: |
Orleans |
|
Specific
Locality: |
Seabrook Bridge |
|
Date(s)
when observed: |
25 January, 2009 |
|
Time(s)
of day when observed: |
10:45-11:50 a.m. |
|
Reporting
observer and address: |
Phillip Wallace New Orleans, LA 70125 |
|
Other observers
accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): |
David Muth joined me after about 30 minutes |
|
Other observers who
independently identified the bird(s) |
Dan Purrington saw it later in the afternoon, as did Glenn
Ousset and Joelle Finley. |
|
Light conditions
(position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): |
Foggy, but not thick enough to hinder observation. |
|
Optical
equipment: |
Kowa 22-60x scope |
|
Distance
to bird(s): |
15-70 meters; got a fishing boat to take us close to the
breakwater where the bird was resting. |
|
Duration
of observation: |
1 hour + |
|
Habitat:
|
On breakwater where Industrial Canal enters Lake Pontchartrain. |
|
Behavior
of bird: |
Resting; flying. |
|
Description: |
The gull was smaller than the adjacent Herring Gulls. All black
bill was smaller than that of Herring Gulls and it had a shallow gonydial
angle. Head more rounded and a little more petite than Herring. The bird was
pale overall with pale brown flecking on the mantle and wing coverts. The
folded primaries were very pale brown and showed a pointed V pattern on the
primary tips with white fringe. The broad subterminal tail band showed the
same pale brown color as the primary tips. The legs were pinkish. The pale
face showed a slightly darker patch around the eye. In flight, the primaries
! |
|
Voice: |
None |
|
Similar species: |
Size and primary pattern rule out Herring. Seemed on the pale
side for Thayer's, but not pale enough for "Kumlien's." |
|
Photographs or tape
recordings obtained? |
Photos by Muth submitted to LBRC. Video by
Wallace submitted to LBRC; stills grabbed from the video acompany this
report. |
|
Previous experience with
this species: |
I've seen a couple of times in Louisiana. |
|
Identification
aids: |
Howell and Dunn's "Gulls" |
|
This
description is written from: |
Notes taken at the time of the observation, video, and Muth's
photos. |
|
Are you positive of your
identification? If not, explain: |
Except for being on the pale side, it’s pretty much a classic
1st cycle Thayer's. Assuming Thayer's is a viable species, I'm pretty sure
this is a Thayer's. |
|
Date
and time: |
9 August, 2009 |