[mou] Alert: Slaty-Backed Gull - LaCrosse
Dan Jackson
DanielEJackson@earthlink.net
Tue, 2 Jan 2007 15:32:57 -0600
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Today, at about 12:30 pm, I found an adult Slaty-Backed Gull in LaCrosse,
Wisconsin. The bird is a member of a flock of about 1000 gulls that are on
the Black River just south of I-90 and are directly Hwy 53/35 from the
Bridgeview Mall.
To access this bird from Minnesota, drive across the river on I-90 and take
the Hwy 53 exit south. As you come off the ramp, the flock of birds will be
located on your right. They are using the area from the I-90 bridge and
south for about 1/2 mile. If you pull all of the way off of the pavement,
you can stop along this section of Hwy 53. There is also a slight driveway
off of the road about 1/4 mile to the south. There is a slight beach at the
end of this drive which is a good place to scope the area.
This bird is very similar in appearance to the Menash bird. It is almost
identical in size to a Herring Gull. It has a yellow bill with small red
and black spots on the lower mandible that is similar in size and shape to
that of a Herring Gull. The bird's eye has a yellow iris. It has bright
pink legs and feet. The mantle is a medium grey that is significantly
darker than that of the Herring and Ring-Billed Gulls in the same flock and
it has black primaries. Like the Menasha bird, it has a white triangle just
back from the tip of the wing. This triangle includes spots on the first 2
primaries. The spot on P10 is larger than that on P9 which gives it a
triangle shape. There is a string of white spots on the primaries at the
margin that separates the dark grey mantle from the black primaries. The
bird's head and neck are slightly mottled with brownish feathers. When
looking head-on, this almost looks like a bib.
The bird was seen by 6 avid birders and 3 others.
We took pictures using several cameras. I will post some in the next 1/2
hour.
Good Birding,
Dan Jackson
Chaseburg, Vernon County, Wisconsin
(Near LaCrosse)
<http://community.webshots.com/user/danielejackson>
http://community.webshots.com/user/danielejackson
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<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Alert: Slaty-Backed Gull - LaCrosse</TITLE>
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<P><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2>Today, at about 12:30 pm, I found =
an adult=20
Slaty-Backed Gull in LaCrosse<SPAN class=3D635342321-02012007>,=20
Wisconsin.</SPAN> The bird is a member of a flock of about 1000 =
gulls that=20
are on the Black River just south of I-90 and are directly Hwy 53/35 =
from the=20
Bridgeview Mall.<SPAN class=3D635342321-02012007><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff> </FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2><SPAN class=3D635342321-02012007>To =
access this=20
bird from Minnesota, drive across the river on I-90 and take the =
Hwy 53=20
exit south. As you come off the ramp, the flock of =
birds=20
will be located on your right. They are using the area from the =
I-90=20
bridge and south for about 1/2 mile. If you pull all of the =
way off=20
of the pavement, you can stop along this section of Hwy 53. There =
is also=20
a slight driveway off of the road about 1/4 mile to the=20
south. There is a slight beach at the end of=20
this drive which is a good place to scope =
the=20
area. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>This bird is very similar in appearance =
to the Menash=20
bird. It is almost identical in size to a Herring Gull. It =
has a=20
yellow bill with small red and black spots on the lower mandible that is =
similar=20
in size and shape to that of a Herring Gull. The bird's eye has a =
yellow=20
iris. It has bright pink legs and feet. The mantle is a =
medium grey=20
that is significantly darker than that of the Herring and Ring-Billed =
Gulls in=20
the same flock and it has black primaries. Like the Menasha bird, =
it has a=20
white triangle just back from the tip of the wing. This triangle =
includes=20
spots on the first 2 primaries. The spot on P10 is larger than =
that on P9=20
which gives it a triangle shape. There is a string of white spots =
on the=20
primaries at the margin that separates the dark grey mantle from the =
black=20
primaries. The bird's head and neck are slightly mottled with =
brownish=20
feathers. When looking head-on, this almost looks like a =
bib.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The bird was seen by 6 avid birders and 3 =
others. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>We took pictures using several =
cameras. I will=20
post some in the next 1/2 hour.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Good Birding,</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Dan Jackson</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>Chaseburg, Vernon County, Wisconsin</FONT> <BR><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>(Near LaCrosse)</FONT> <BR><A=20
href=3D"http://community.webshots.com/user/danielejackson"><U><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2>http://community.webshots.com/user/danielejackson</FONT></U></A>=
=20
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