This morning's NVBC trip to Belle Haven, Fairfax County -- 9 members, lead by
Erika Wilson and myself -- found 44 species, all as expected except for some
wonderful and long scope views of an adult winter California Gull. It was
watched from 10.30-11 am on the mudflats west of the stone bridge (low tide
was at 8.30 and high tide was expected at 2pm). This report gives ID data on
the California Gull first, and then lists all species found.
ID data on California Gull
Age: full adult - 4 white spots on primaries showed plainly at rest.
Size: somewhat large than Ring-billed, by which it was surrounded, but
considerably smaller than Herring (of which 3 were conveniently close).
Bill: yellow, with red spot near gonys; thin black subterminal mark to front
of red spot, and merging with it.
Legs: yellow, not bright and thought by some to be more yellowish-green.
Wings at rest: darker than Ring-billed and Herring, but lighter than Lesser
Black-backed. White scapular and tertial crescents quite obvious.
Unfortunately, the bird did not fly or raise its wings.
Eyes: totally dark iris. As the bird was sleeping quite a bit of the time,
special attention was paid to this feature during the periods the bird lifted
its head and walked around. Orbital ring could not be seen.
Head markings: white but with some streaking around eye and on nape. Using
Sibley as a guide, much closer to what he illustrates as 'adult non-breeding
Northern Great Plains' rather than 'Great Basin'. Head appeared to be
standardly 'round'.
Nice to have a problem-free 'rare' gull for a change! A new state bird for
everyone present.
Trip species list (old order, I'm afraid)
Pied-billed Grebe 3
Great Blue Heron 20
(Corpse of an immature Black-crowned Night-Heron.)
Canada Goose hundreds
Green-winged Teal 30
American Black Duck 16
Mallard 50
Ring-necked Duck 1
Bufflehead 24
Common Merganser 46
Red-breasted Merganser 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Bald Eagle 1 2nd-year
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
American Coot 3
Killdeer 14
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Ring-billed Gull less than 1000
Herring Gull 3
California Gull 1 adult
Great Black-backed Gull 15
Rock Dove 1
Mourning Dove 20
Belted Kingfisher 4
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 30
Fish Crow 2
Carolina Chickadee 6
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 1
American Robin 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 20
Yellow-rumped Warbler 3
Northern Cardinal 14
Savannah Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 12
Swamp Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 6
Red-winged Blackbird 18
American Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow 12
Stephen Eccles
You are subscribed to VA-BIRD. To post to this mailing list, simply send email
to va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx. To unsubscribe, send email to
va-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
