Re: [cobirds] Gull ID help request: Chatfield Marina Sandspit

The Lesser Black-backed Gulls were there at sunrise. They caught me off guard too! I had a Long-billed Curlew hanging out down there as well. Good mid-August bike birding! I had 4 Forster's Terns on S Platte Delta straddling JeffCo and Douglas county lines. 

Scott Somershoe 

Littleton CO

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 14, 2021, at 11:25 AM, David Tønnessen <davidtonnessenx@gmail.com> wrote:



Hey Max,

Indeed it appears you found two Lesser Black-backed Gulls; a near adult 4th cycle bird (notice the fleck of black in the bill for age) and a 2nd cycle. Lesser Black-backed Gulls have contrasting dark wings compared to the rest of their plumage even in younger plumages, and get a pale eye after their first year. Like you said, the structure here is another great thing to look at; long wings and heftier than a Ring-billed Gull with sharper bill angles, but more petite than a Herring Gull.

This species has been increasing in this continent with occaisonal oversummering birds having been found as far south as Central America.

Best,

David Tonnessen

Colorado Springs, CO

El sáb., 14 ago. 2021 8:46 a. m., Max Miller <miller.max@gmail.com> escribió:

Good morning everyone,

I did not expect to be sorting gulls so seriously this morning at the Chatfield Marina Sandspit, but here we are.

As I was scanning the flock of Ring-billed Gulls to sort out any California Gulls (which were there, too), I noticed two birds that stuck out further, an adult and a juvenile next to each other in a smaller group of Ring-billeds maybe 30 feet from the greater flock.

Both were noticeably bigger than the nearby Ring-billeds, but not hugely so. The adult was quite a bit darker backed than any of the other gulls, had a yellow eye, a red spot on its bill, and legs I would describe as perhaps yellowish, but pretty drab though the light could play a role here. The best I can come up with is Lesser Black-backed, but my experience with that species is limited.

The juvenile was about the same size and seemed associated with the adult. It's eye seemed paler as I could make out a pupil. Again, light may play a role here. It had a unique shape I thought, but of course my gull ID guides are all at home so I hesitate to put any sort of ID on it in my mind.

Any input is most welcome - I took a number of digiscoped photos that are uploaded to my ebird checklist at the link below. Thanks to any larophiles here who might be able to validate or negate my observations on the adult, and provide any further clues for the juvenile.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S93202724

Good birding!

Max Miller

Denver, CO

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