This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------6E3B0533D86303DF50D2C989 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This was posted on ValleyBirds for those who don't get ValleyBirds. --------------6E3B0533D86303DF50D2C989 Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline Received: from mail5.bellatlantic.net ([151.198.0.38]) by immta2.bellatlantic.net (InterMail v03.02.06 118 122) with ESMTP id <19990217041731.XLBV23953@mail5.bellatlantic.net>; Tue, 16 Feb 1999 23:17:31 -0500 Received: from flash.naxs.net (flash.naxs.net [216.98.64.5]) by mail5.bellatlantic.net (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id XAA09604; Tue, 16 Feb 1999 23:17:29 -0500 (EST) Received: from jwcoffey.Tricon.net (dial209.pm3bloun2.bloun.naxs.com [216.98.69.209]) by flash.naxs.net (8.8.7/8.8.7) with SMTP id XAA14840; Tue, 16 Feb 1999 23:09:49 -0500 Message-Id: <1.5.4.32.19990217031041.00a53c14@tricon.net> X-Sender: jwcoffey@tricon.net (Unverified) X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Light Version 1.5.4 (32) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 23:10:41 -0400 To: Valley Birds <jwcoffey@tricon.net> From: Valley Birds <jwcoffey@tricon.net> Subject: Gulls and such Mon. 2/15/99 (VA) Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 15:35:31 -0500 From: David Abbott Subject: Gulls and such Mon. 2/15/99 (VA) Bird Report=20 Mon. Feb. 15, 1999 from the Eastern Shore of Virginia Obs. David Abbott, June Harper and Rigdon Currie (visiting from Pt. Reyes Bird Observatory). Weather: Feb. 14: icy cold with bone numbing wind all day. Sunny. Winds died over night. Feb 15: calm, cold predawn, warming into the 50's by mid morn. Sunny. The Eastern Shore of Virginia, principally Northampton Co. and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-tunnel (CBBT), offers opportunity for real contributions as our knowledge of avifauna of the mid Atlantic states is embryonic and under continual change. Over the above period, we made a quick trip down the VA coast to the CBBT and had some great successes. The real story was the gulls in Northampton Co. We checked the Oyster dump in Cheriton on Sunday around 1600. Here we found 3,500 gulls, 2790 Herring Gulls (Larus smithsonianus, followed by Great Black-backed (L. marinus) and finally Ring-billed Gulls (L. delawarensis). We didn't have time to view as much as we'd like as it was getting late. ELEVEN SPECIES OF GULLS On Monday, we studied the gulls on island 3 and 4 of the CBBT 0800 =AD 1300.= =20 We found 10,000 gulls feeding in the mouth of the Chesapeake from island 4, most within 100 yd. of the island. They were moving E to the shore, probably sheltered in the mouth of the bay from the extremely high winds on Sunday. By 1000 nearly every single gull had gone. During the two hours we found and identified 12 species of gulls. I photographed one 2nd winter SLATY-BACKED (L. schistisagus) and two first winter THAYER'S GULLS (L. thayeri). Moreover, we had very good studies, sharing these birds with others of: Black-headed Gull (L. ridibundus), one adult winter COMMON GULL (L. canus), BLACK-TAILED GULL (Larus crassirostris) and one first winter CALIFORNIA GULL (L. californicus). I found at 0830 what I'd call a second winter SLATY-BACKED GULL loafing on the jetty of the 4th island (northernmost) with smithsonianus and marinus.= =20 Great views hopefully OK photos both at rest and in flight. We scoped it from 50 yds in excellent light for 30 min. when it suddenly flew off heading southeast. Almost as soon as we began scanning, I spotted a first winter Thayer's Gull landing on the rocks, giving us complete dorsal view as it did, and we enjoyed the study. Next, one of the closest gulls to us, was the Slaty-backed. The Slaty-backed spent most of it's time sitting on top of a rock among Herrings. The bird was very cooperative and preened and shook its feathers and changed positions several times as if to show us as much as possible.=20 It stood out like a sore thumb. My initial reaction was that the bird was either a Slaty-backed or a hybrid. It was noticeably larger than the Herring Gulls, but I am not sure if this impression was real or partially because of its unique structure. I was struck by a pale immature Herring Gull with a strong hammering head (too large for its body) and moderately thick straight bill with no gony expansion. My eyes went to the face, and the large pale gray eyes set in a dark smudge under each eye and extending behind the eye, where it flared upward slightly, contrasting with the paler face and head. This gave the bird the appearance of a burning stare. My initial impression that it was schistisagus solidified after we confirmed its features. Structure: four primaries past the tertails, brown and a shade or two darker than the rest of the bird, each with a narrow pale fringing on the primary tips. Each with a large space between tip. Tip of P9 lining up with tail tip. Legs bubblegum pink, short in proportion and bulk of bird. The bill-shape was utterly unique, rather thick looking with the culmen arching steeply well past midpoint to the tip; there was no noticeable gonydeal angle. Bare parts: The bill was dull black, with a fleshy-pink area in the center of the bill, leaving the tip black. This pinkish area formed two crescents on each mandible and the black extended inward along the cutting edge of both mandibles almost all the way to the gape.=20 The tertials were sold brown with some pale internal flecking. Greater coverts mainly plain and very pal, lacking barring. Remainder of wing coverts very plain and pale, lacking pattern. The tail was solid brown (all dark), as primaries. Noticeable narrow white band at the tip and a soft ragged white area at the base. No retrices contrasty white or barred.= =20 The tail also had a unique image: dark but soft not black, with gradation to whitish at base, white terminal band and the feathers seemed brushed softly with pale around their fringes (with many internal very fine variegations).=20 In flight the tail appeared all brown, not blackish, and the same tone as the primaries.=20 Absolutely striking upperwing pattern, of pale inner wing panel that extended outward through the outer P's with a glossy look to the inner primaries. The secondaries formed a brown bar, strongly contrasting with the panel, but not dark. This bar was a series of vertical brown stripes on a paler background. Most obvious were the gray 'tear drops' which stood out at the tips of the paler inner primaries. This gave the bird the look of paler forewing. The gray trailing edge caused by dark primary tips finally blended into the extreme outer P's. The secondaries were slightly darker than the rest of the wing, although at some angles they looked slightly paler.=20 Discussion Plainly, the bird is entirely consistent with Slaty-backed Gull. I have photographed it but a large series of close-up photos may be needed to resolve the identification. The primary projection is very short, distinctly shorter than smithsonianus, and one of the shortest I've seen on a large gull, perhaps similar to glaucescens. The primaries were very broad and rounded (as 2nd winter). On the folded wing, P10 even had a noticeable space between P9. In smithsonianus, the tail tip should fall about even with P7. Generally, it looked at first blush in structure and shape very much like a dark Glaucous-winged Gull to me. As indicated, the size - as large as the surrounding Herring Gulls; the heavy, diffuse streaking covering head, nape & neck; the bill structure, strong-headed, high crowned profile; piercing stare and facial expression, the unique tail, primary and uppertail covert pattern; - all are strong indicators, the features in combination pointing to Slaty-backed Gull. If it is not a Slaty-backed Gull, the only possibility is hybrid but it shows nothing puzzling or characters suggesting it might be something else. In believe the wing pattern, especially the primary tip marks in combinations with tail, uppertail coverts, structure and bill to be diagnostic of Slaty-backed. Further, the plumage, etc. is not compatible with Vega Gull (L. a. vegae). However, unlike a typical hybrid, its bill lacked a prominent gonydeal angle and it had a somewhat paler head and breast than most such hybrids. From what I have seen thus far, I am uncomfortable passing it off as any kind of hybrid and am leaning toward the theory that it actually is a Slaty-backed. I consider, perceived difficulty accepted first winter plumages of thayeri, schistisagus, etc. to actually be more identifiable than adults.=20 Others: A fascinating array of gulls and their plumages. The smithsonianus, presumably from different geographic areas, were displaying their variability to the hilt. Several first winter smithsonianus (by everything else) showed nice well marked tailbands. I studied others that probably could be keyed out as first-winter Herring Gull ___________________________________________the tail, rump, and covert and tertail pattern of one of the European races. Many smithsonianus had juv. scaps. and few were worn. I took quite a few photos. Isl. #4 (Slaty-backed fw, Thayer's-3, fw, California-fw, Lesser Black-backed Gulls-4, 3 fw, 1 2nd w)=20 Isl. #3 (Black-tailed-ad, Common-ad, Black-headed Gulls-ad) Wise Point: one adult BLACK BRANT with American; PRAIRIE WARBLER; King Rail. Oyster: 190 Marbled Godwits, 45 Willet, 200 Black-bellied Plover, 76 Western Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitcher, one lt. morph Rough-legged Hawk, three Saltmarsh Sparrows. Also, one GREEN HERON, 3 Tricolored and one Little Blue Heron and 3,000 brant. Good luck! David Abbott Ashburn VA ________________________________________________________ Valley Birds Net Support Web Site "let the web site work for you" http://members.aol.com/merlinz02/valleybirds.html ________________________________________________________ --------------6E3B0533D86303DF50D2C989--