In Crozet, VA. We don't see very many gulls here in central Virginia,
although I saw Bonaparte's and Ring-billed Gulls in May 2013 here in Old
Trail, and a Franklin's Gull in Dayton, VA in May 2016. I had an errand to
run in Waynesboro this afternoon, and a just after I turned west onto Route
250 from Old Trail at 1:30 p.m., a medium sized gull flew low overhead, and
was heading east.
I got a fairly quick, but good look at it. The underside of the gull,
including its wings, was snow white. I saw black eyes, black legs, and a
dark bill, with perhaps some deep orangish-yellow around its mouth, or
perhaps on its bill, but I am not sure about the orangish-yellow coloring. I
got a good look at one side of its head, and a little bit of its upper body
- all snow white.
I couldn't stop for a better look, and my mind went to Bonaparte's Gull.
When I returned to Old Trail and hour later and checked my references, none
of them fit what I saw, but Iceland or Ivory Gulls are the best matches, and
both are extremely unlikely to be here. Iceland Gulls should have yellow
legs, and Ivory Gulls have yellow bills and should not be here at all.
Any idea as to what I might have seen, other than a mirage because of the
heat!
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Marshall Faintich
Crozet, VA
marshall@xxxxxxxxxxxx
www.faintich.net <http://www.faintich.net/>
In real life, the shortest distance between two points is never a straight
line, so you might as well enjoy the journey !!
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