Franklin's Gull in St. Louis County
2013-04-23

Occasional in St. Louis County in the Spring season

Adult Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) in the Duluth Harbor, St. Louis County, 23 April 2013. Probably one of two adults found in the Duluth Harbor by Jan & Larry Kraemer on the 16th and possibly among the three Franklin's found by Robbye Johnson on frozen Allouez Bay in Superior, Wisconsin on the 13th. Although this species seems to be showing up more consistently in the Twin Ports in recent years, it's still less than annual in spring with fall records outnumbering spring records at Duluth. Distinguished from Laughing Gull (L. atricilla) by compact structure and small size in comparison to Ring-billed Gulls, bill size and shape, thick white eye-arcs, and large white apical spots on folded primaries. In flight, the bird showed a white band separating the black on its primaries from the rest of the wing; this was easily seen on both surfaces of the wing.

Peder H. Svingen