An adult Mew Gull (Larus canus brachyrhynchus), formerly called Short-billed
Gull, was present this afternoon and evening on CBBT islands 3 and 4. When
first found by Todd Day, the bird was swimming near the rocks on the NW
corner of island 3. Alex Merritt, Todd, and I got scopes to study the bird
and make notes, and I took a few photos of the bird on the water and in
flight. When refound, the bird was on the NE corner of island 4, where it
went to roost at dusk. I took more photographs here as the light was
failing. I've not seen this subspecies in Virginia previously, and the
nearest confirmed records I know of are from Pennsylvania, New York, and New
England. For Todd, this was the 342nd species he has seen this year in
Virginia.
Another interesting gull, also studied at leisure and at very close range,
was a first-winter "Nelson's Gull", a hybrid between Glaucous and Herring
Gulls, which was present this morning early.
Also at the CBBT were 7 Common Eiders (1 imm. male, 6 females), 2 Harlequin
Ducks (both subad. males), 7 White-winged Scoters, 3 Lesser Scaup, 40 or so
Long-tailed Ducks, and many Surf and Black Scoters. A flight of 10 Tundra
Swan overhead was thrilling, and there is a tremendous traffic in fish-eating
species (cormorants, gannets, mergansers, and even Brown Pelicans) all along
the CBBT. Bob Ake saw an Aechmophorus grebe between the two bridge spans
(between mileposts 14 and 13) at around 1215 on the day before, so there is
much to see out there lately.
Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA
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