[wisb] Slaty-backed Gull, Milwaukee 2/25/13
- From: "Jym Mooney & Carol Lee Hopkins" <hopmoon@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Wisbirdn" <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:21:35 -0600
On Monday afternoon I found an adult Slaty-backed Gull in the Milwaukee
Harbor, about 1000 yards out on the ice towards the harbor entrance. I was
soon joined by Mike Wanger, and we spent about an hour observing the bird
and taking the best photos we could at that distance. The bird had a dark
gray mantle, with very broad scapular and tertial crescents and a prominent
secondary skirt. The legs were pink, not yellow as in LBBG. It was about
the size of the surrounding HERGs, but more robust and chesty. I observed
it in a brief flight low over the ice before Mike arrived, and noted that
the wings were broad and consistently slaty-gray with no contrasting black
wingtips (SBGU has black only on the outer webs of the outer primaries). I
did not get a look at the subterminal spots (the string of pearls) at that
distance. The head was streaked, most heavily on the nape and around the
eyes. This was an adult bird, with clean white rump and tail and
unblemished mantle and coverts.
Interestingly, this is obviously a different bird than the presumed
third-cycle SBGU that Steve Lubahn reported on Saturday in the same area.
We ran our observations and photos past some knowledgeable gull enthusiasts
and got positive responses on our ID.
My photos here: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjE9B6vR
Mike's photo's here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/108760068477047485487/Gulls?authkey=Gv1sRgCIrL4
Ivent2ksgE#5849446323350075794
I also found a hybrid Glaucous X Great Black-backed Gull in the harbor on
Monday.
Jym Mooney, Milwaukee
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- » [wisb] Slaty-backed Gull, Milwaukee 2/25/13 - Jym Mooney & Carol Lee Hopkins
