Date: 9/20/26 4:28 pm From: Tobin Brown via groups.io <tobinjbrown...> Subject: [NEBirds] Potential state first Vega Gull!
Nebraska birders,
After the recent taxonomic split of the Herring Gull into 3 species, Vega Gull had been on my mind for a potential next state first.
Yesterday, Judson found an intriguing candidate at Pawnee Lake in Lancaster county. It displayed a dark eye, darker mantle (slightly lighter than FRGU), pink legs, and a thick white edge to the secondaries in flight. After tossing around multiple potential IDs including a handful of hybrids, we seemed to land on Great Black-backed x American Herring Gull Hybrid, but that ID didn't quite feel right to me.
After more discussion, and sending it to Amar Ayyash (author of the Gull Guide), we believe we might have the state first Vega Gull! I included his comments in my checklist
Unfortunately, the bird took off, caught a thermal, and disappeared while I was watching it, around 11:45.
Of course, there will be more discussion and a vote by the NOURC, but I'm reporting it as Vega right now. There's a chance it could return to a nearby roost at Pawnee or Branched Oak!
