[mou] Lacrosse Ross Gulls update
Michael Hendrickson
smithville4@charter.net
Fri, 7 Nov 2003 08:05:51 -0600
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Before you go chasing the birds you may want to read this. I admire Mark =
Houle on how he handle the sightings!=20
Mike Hendrickson
Obviously I have had a ton of e-mail on my report of Ross's Gulls.
I am old, poor memory, very poor eyesight, no experience with Ross's =
Gulls,=20
not good on regular gulls. My report should be treated as unreliable.=20
I had not ever seen Ross's Gull, and almost asked in my post if I should =
document this sighting. I am not aware of where all these birds are =
normally=20
seen.=20
It was just a nice break at noon to spend 1/2 hour at the Stoddard boat =
ramp=20
over lunch. It was a clear, still day. Only one Pied-billed Grebe and =
lots of=20
ducks. No loon or scarce grebe. Then I saw these Gulls, which I knew =
were=20
different. Knowing they were different is good for me.
I knew the birds were different, flying with more of a Tern like flight, =
never flying more than 20 feet above the water, making steep 90 degree =
plunges=20
into the water, at times going completely submerged. They reminded me of =
Boneparte's Gulls in flight, which I see all winter in Florida by the =
hundreds.
These birds were a long way out, but, finally two came into close view. =
The=20
black mark behind the eye was a short dash, the head was very round, the =
bill=20
was short, thick, black. Was this different than a Boney? Too close for =
me to=20
call, but I thought they looked more like Ross's.
The feet were hanging out a bit as they passed within 20 yards. I had =
them=20
both in my 25x scope up close, and with the bins. Those feet turned my=20
attention=20
to Ross's rather than Boney's. They were very evident, bright orange, =
very=20
similar to the bright orange feet on a mallard.
There was very little black on the wing tips, and it varied between the=20
birds. The black was almost imperceptable, and no black marking at all =
on one=20
or=20
more of the birds.=20
The tail was pure white, but, was more rounded than wedge shaped. This =
may be=20
the deciding factor. The few times I was able to study the tail, it did =
have=20
the more round shape, as in Bonepart's. The wedge shape tail was not =
evident,=20
but then I was not looking for it.
I did review some photos of John Idzikowski of Ross's Gulls and =
Boneparte's=20
Gulls, and was convinced that what I saw was Ross's. However, one of =
John's=20
photos of a Bonepart's Gull had bright orange feet.=20
Sorry, but I would wait for some of the local bird experts to find these =
birds and properly ID them before you make a trip up to LaCrosse. I saw =
what I=20
saw, reported what I saw, but I am afraid I am not reliable enough to =
encourage=20
anyone to make the trip to the Stoddard Boat landing.
I will be there tomorrow, morning.
* Mike Houle * houlem AT aol.com * La Crosse WI * USA *
It's great to be alive as the birds of autumn mass for their southward
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Before you go chasing the birds you may =
want to=20
read this. I admire Mark Houle on how he handle the sightings! =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Mike Hendrickson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT size=3D3>Obviously I have had a =
ton of e-mail=20
on my report of Ross's Gulls.<BR><BR>I am old, poor memory, very poor =
eyesight,=20
no experience with Ross's Gulls, <BR>not good on regular gulls. My =
report should=20
be treated as unreliable. <BR><BR>I had not ever seen Ross's Gull, and =
almost=20
asked in my post if I should <BR>document this sighting. I am not aware =
of where=20
all these birds are normally <BR>seen. <BR><BR>It was just a nice break =
at noon=20
to spend 1/2 hour at the Stoddard boat ramp <BR>over lunch. It was a =
clear,=20
still day. Only one Pied-billed Grebe and lots of <BR>ducks. No loon or =
scarce=20
grebe. Then I saw these Gulls, which I knew were <BR>different. Knowing =
they=20
were different is good for me.<BR><BR>I knew the birds were =
different,=20
flying with more of a Tern like flight, <BR>never flying more than 20 =
feet above=20
the water, making steep 90 degree plunges <BR>into the water, at times =
going=20
completely submerged. They reminded me of <BR>Boneparte's Gulls in =
flight, which=20
I see all winter in Florida by the hundreds.<BR><BR>These birds were a =
long way=20
out, but, finally two came into close view. The <BR>black mark behind =
the eye=20
was a short dash, the head was very round, the bill <BR>was short, =
thick, black.=20
Was this different than a Boney? Too close for me to <BR>call, but I =
thought=20
they looked more like Ross's.<BR><BR>The feet were hanging out a bit as =
they=20
passed within 20 yards. I had them <BR>both in my 25x scope up close, =
and with=20
the bins. Those feet turned my <BR>attention <BR><BR>to Ross's rather =
than=20
Boney's. They were very evident, bright orange, very <BR>similar to the =
bright=20
orange feet on a mallard.<BR><BR>There was very little black on the wing =
tips,=20
and it varied between the <BR>birds. The black was almost imperceptable, =
and no=20
black marking at all on one <BR>or <BR><BR>more of the birds. =
<BR><BR>The tail=20
was pure white, but, was more rounded than wedge shaped. This may be =
<BR>the=20
deciding factor. The few times I was able to study the tail, it did have =
<BR>the=20
more round shape, as in Bonepart's. The wedge shape tail was not =
evident,=20
<BR>but then I was not looking for it.<BR><BR>I did review some photos =
of =20
John Idzikowski of Ross's Gulls and Boneparte's <BR>Gulls, and was =
convinced=20
that what I saw was Ross's. However, one of John's <BR>photos of a =
Bonepart's=20
Gull had bright orange feet. <BR><BR>Sorry, but I would wait for some of =
the=20
local bird experts to find these <BR>birds and properly ID them before =
you make=20
a trip up to LaCrosse. I saw what I <BR>saw, reported what I saw, but I =
am=20
afraid I am not reliable enough to encourage <BR><BR>anyone to make the =
trip to=20
the Stoddard Boat landing.<BR><BR>I will be there tomorrow, =
morning.<BR><BR>*=20
Mike Houle * houlem AT aol.com * La Crosse WI * USA *<BR><BR>It's great =
to be=20
alive as the birds of autumn mass for their=20
southward</FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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