Glaucous-winged Gull in St. Louis County
2011-12-25

'Accidental' in Minnesota - Five or fewer records in St. Louis County for the Winter season

Apparent Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) in basic plumage at Canal Park, Duluth, Minnesota, 25 December 2011. Photographed under thick overcast in the late afternoon -- challenging conditions for photography, but ideal for comparing its mantle shade with adult Herring, Thayer's, Iceland, and Glaucous gulls. Discovered by Karl Bardon on the 22nd, this represents a potential fifth state record and the third for St. Louis County. Relatively rounded head shape and modest bill with minimal swelling at the gonys suggests female gender. Note dark distal mark on bill which is typical for Glaucous-winged, but not for adult Kumlien's [Iceland] Gull in winter. Additional features visible in this image and/or Karl's images at www.pbase.com/karlbardon include dark brown irides, smudgy wash of gray-brown rather than distinct streaks on head, slightly darker gray mantle shade compared to adult American Herring Gull, broad white tertial crescent on perched bird, gray on wing tips matching its mantle shade, very short wing projection past tail tip, broad inner wing (arm) with broad white trailing edge in flight, subterminal mirror on p10 and small mirror on p9, white subapical tongue tips on p6-p8 showing as a row of white spots on both wing surfaces, and tiny gray marking on p5 (best seen here on the proximal wing); the latter is also typical for glaucescens but not for adult kumlieni. Additional images can be found at my Flickr site http://www.flickr.com/photos/cochon/sets/72157628573959635/

Peder H. Svingen