[mou] Interesting gulls at Black Dog

[James Mattsson]

Nov. 28, 2007, 4:10-5:00PM, Black Dog Lake (East lake near power plant), Dakota County
About 200 gulls total, mostly Herring and a few Ring-billeds.
One adult (4th cycle?) that was structured like Thayer's, but primaries were concolorous with gray mantle (as in Glaucous-winged). This bird was same size as average HERG with smaller, rounded head and narrower bill with no gonydeal angle. Bill was an odd gray/blue (thus 4th cycle?) with a dark spot on gonys. Pink legs. Underwings were pure white - no hint of dark or duskiness on primaries below. Eye was more round than HERGs and was dark. Head round with peak usually above eye. I suspect the bird is either a very pale Thayer's, a large dark Iceland (Kumlien's) or possibly a hybrid. I've never seen a gull that looked like this one. 
At one point it swam past another odd gull that I suspect was a juvenile Kumlien's Iceland Gull. This bird was heavily marked with slightly more heft than usual for Iceland. It was nearly same size as HERGs. It's bill was mostly dark but paling toward base and a bit larger than normal Iceland. Did not seem blocky enough for Glaucous. The lighting by this time was lousy so difficult to see more details. 
Also, present was an adult Glaucous Gull and at least one adult Thayer's. I spent very little time looking over the other gulls, so I suspect other interesting birds were present.


James Mattsson
mattjim at earthlink.net
EarthLink Revolves Around You.
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