[mou] Lesser Black-backed Gull - Superior Entry

[Dedrick Benz]

At about 3:45 Sunday afternoon, I found an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull at 
the Superior Entry.  It was perched on the Minnesota breakwall.  I did an 
initial scan from the base of the WI breakwater of the gulls standing at the 
END of the Minnesota breakwater, and this bird stuck out like a sore thumb.  
I was excited so I went as fast as I could over the treacherous rocks to 
scan from the lighthouse at the end of the Wisconsin breakwater.  The gulls 
were ultramellow, and the LBBG was at least partially obscured most of the 
time by loafing Herring Gulls.  To make things more difficult, it was 
resting with it's bill tucked in it's wing a lot as well.  But I did get to 
see a red spot on a yellow bill, yellow legs, and a very dark gray (not as 
black as GBBG or Scandinavian race of LBBG) back.  The bird was 
approximately Herring Gull size, but again, being obscured, a perfect size 
comparison was impossible.  All the gulls took off at about 4:20, and I did 
not keep tabs on the LBBG.  1/2 the gulls went out to sea, and the other 
half landed on the MN breakwater again, but I could not relocate the LBBG.

Also present:

1 1st Winter Thayer's Gull
1 1st Winter Glaucous Gull

Not present:
Great Black-backed Gull - this one will jinx me forever.

I did relocate the 1st Winter LBBG in Knife River today as well.
Gull city, baby!

Dedrick Benz
Winona, MN

PS  Grand Marais festival was a blast!  Thank you, all!