There were a good 2,500 gulls out on the creek this morning (Prince Wm. Co.)
at low tide when I arrived at 7:15. They were mostly Laughing Gulls with
Herring, Ring-billed, Great Black-backed, and 1 Lesser Black-backed. At 7:55,
all
the gulls took flight and most headed inland. About 150 returned and spread out
for better viewing. While panning in hopes of a rarity, I happened upon what
I thought for a second looked like a smaller Herring Gull. Upon closer
inspection, I saw that the head, bill shape, eye color was not that of Herring,
but I
didn't realize at the time that I might be looking at an adult Thayer's. I
just knew it was different. The head was smaller and more rounded with limited
streaking on the head and nape. The bill was smaller than Herring...yellow with
red spot. The bird itself appeared to be several inches smaller than nearby
Herrings. I watched if for 20 minutes as the tide started to come in and kept
looking at the dark eye, compared to the pale eyes of the adult Herrings
nearby. Granted the light wasn't great this morning, but it was easy to see how
different the eyes were. Even the darker orbital ring was evident. Since the
bird
was standing in the water, I wasn't able to see the leg color until it flew
off. The legs were fairly pink but given the light conditions, not diagnostic
in
itself. The primary tips in flight didn't show as much black as they do in
Herrings. I made it a point to observe that. Anyway, I think the bird was a
good
candidate for a Thayer's.
I heard, then saw, a Pine Siskin, feeding in a flock of House Finches and 1
Purple Finch in the trees right near the entrance to Leesylvania State Park.
Laura Catterton
Manassas, Virginia
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