[mou] Gulls at Wisconsin Pt & Duluth

[Michael Hendrickson]

Spent the day over at Wisconsin Point landfill.  I counted at least anywhere from 3500 to 4000 gulls at the landfill!  The landfill changes each year and this year the berm where the gulls rest before eating garbage is right along the public road and you can view a large percentage of gulls inside the car or a scope near the car.  

Saw the following gulls in an hour span of gull watching from 12:30pm to 1:45pm.

*Iceland Gull (a 3rd cycle Kumlien's sub species) The gull was about 2 inches or so smaller than the Herring Gulls nearby, a smaller rounder head vs. Herring Gull, smaller bill width & length vs. Herring Gull, had a distal marking on the bill, the mantle was about the same shade of gray compared to a nearby Glaucous Gull but maybe a shade darker and a light pale iris. The primary wings in the folded position were white with light gray marking along the shaft of the primaries and near the tips of primaries.

Glaucous Gull (classic adult bird)

Lesser Black-backed Gull ( a 3rd cycle gull )

Thayer's Gull ( 1 adult and 2 1st cycle birds )

Nelson Gull ( a hybrid gull: Glaucous Gull X Herring Gull) I have a photo of the gull on my blog as well as the Iceland Gull but that photo is really washed out due to my poor digiscoping skills. http://colderbythelakebirding.blogspot.com/

Over in Duluth at the new gull spot, mouth of the Miller Creek just east of the WlSSD recycling facility off 27th Ave West & I-35. The gulls are feeding on solid food matter that is being turned into compost and fuel for the plant.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (1st cycle)

* Did not locate the Greater Black-backed Gull that has been reported off and on this week. Those birders in Minnesota that are doing a big year may want to check the end of Minnesota Pt. for the Iceland Gull by driving to the end of Wisconsin Pt. Sometimes these gulls will roost on the breakwalls.
 
Mike Hendrickson
Duluth, Minnesota
Website: http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/
Blog: http://colderbythelakebirding.blogspot.com/


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