Date: 3/20/25 9:18 am From: Tobin Brown via groups.io <tobinjbrown...> Subject: Re: [NEBirds] Lancaster County Gull flock
I haven't checked if the flock is still hanging around after the storm (I
suspect they're still here after those crazy northern winds), but I have 2
more things to update. Yesterday during the blizzard, I completed reviewing
my photos from March 15th, and found 2 more birds:
1. An American Herring x Lesser-black-backed Gull (Appledore) hybrid. I
believe this represents only the 2nd record in the state! I noticed this
gull was odd in the field, but was only just able to figure out exactly
what it was. If you see a darker Herring-type gull out there with yellow
legs, it could be it.
2. A 2nd California gull! I suspected from comparing photos over the
multiple days that there were 2 individuals, but I found the second bird
lurking in the background of photos from the 15th, taken just minutes after
I photographed the first bird.
On Sun, Mar 16, 2025 at 4:58 PM Tobin Brown via groups.io <tobinjbrown=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> The Gull-a-palooza has continued through the weekend, with all the gulls
> making a showing today, either at sunrise
> <https://ebird.org/checklist/S218857948> or at noon
> <https://ebird.org/checklist/S218926184>: Glaucous, California, Lesser
> Black-backed, Kumlien's, and Thayer's.
>
> After going through my photos, I think there may actually be 2 distinct
> California gulls! The one I saw yesterday had a much cleaner breeding
> plumage with a more white bill tip, and the one from Thursday and today
> seems to have some scruffier molt feathers on the head and a yellow-tipped
> bill. Unfortunately we didn't ever have 2 in the scope at the same time
> today.
>
> Thursday 3/13:https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/632056521 > *Saturday 3/15*: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/632158431 > Sunday 3/16: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/632215400 >
> Tobin Brown
> Lancaster County
>
> On Thu, Mar 13, 2025, 3:44 PM Tobin Brown via groups.io <tobinjbrown=
> <gmail.com...> wrote:
>
>> Nebraska birders,
>>
>> Today I went to Marsh Wren wetland over my lunch break hoping for a
>> first-of-year Greater Yellowlegs, Blue-winged Teal, or Wood Duck and
>> instead ran into a massive flock of 1200+ gulls. They were streaming in
>> from the direction of the city dump, and loafing about on the eastern pond
>> of the wetland.
>>
>> After walking down the trail to get the gulls in good light, I began
>> scanning and immediately spotted a first cycle *Glaucous Gull!* Perhaps
>> the same bird that has been seen at Pawnee and Branched Oak in the past few
>> days. I also found 2 adult and 2 juvenile *Lesser Black-backed Gulls*
>> mixed throughout. After about 10 minutes of scanning I got in my binoculars
>> what at first looked like another Glaucous Gull, but as it landed I
>> noticed, it was a bit smaller with an all black bill. A *Kumlien's
>> Iceland Gull*, a quite rare subspecies for the state (we usually get
>> Thayer's).
>>
>> Finally, as icing on the cake, I noticed a dark-mantled gull similar in
>> size to Ring-billed, and after closer inspection I ticked my county first *California
>> Gull!* Definitely my best gull checklist in Lancaster county, and maybe
>> even the state.
>>
>> By the time I left, half of the flock (including the Glaucous) had taken
>> off for the dump again. Perhaps they will show up again at Marsh Wren, or
>> at Oak lake, Capitol beach, or somewhere else. Photos and final tallies can
>> be found on my ebird checklist. https://ebird.org/checklist/S218281421 >>
>> Tobin Brown
>> Lancaster County
>>
>>
>
>
