Date: 3/8/23 11:39 am From: Frank Mantlik via CTBirds <ctbirds...> Subject: [CT Birds] Update, COMMON GULL Stratford 3/6
The rare gull found 3/6 by Tom Murray, Greg Hanisek & friends at Long Beach, Stratford, was positively identified yesterday (J Nance, N Bonomo, A Kiley) based on open-wing flight shots as a COMMON GULL (European subspecies canus).
I and others have been looking for it since in various Stratford locations, but no luck. At least 3 ICELAND GULLS and 1-2 GLAUCOUS GULLS remain at either Lordship Seawall or Long Beach.
Today mid-day (high tide) I also checked Seaside Park, Bridgeport, where there were many more gulls roosting, sheltering out of the brisk NNW wind. I estimated 1100*+ Ring- billed Gulls, 600+ Herring Gulls. I again failed to find the COMMON GULL, but had limited time, and couldn’t look at each and every gull (many had heads tucked in, resting), despite ideal viewing conditions. If one wishes to look for the rarity, I would suggest starting at Seaside Park, where there was still an adult SNOW GOOSE (but no ROSS’S GOOSE) among the Canada goose flock.
Also of interest is that I have found 5 leg color-banded gulls recently - 2 different adult Ring-billed Gulls that were banded in Quebec, Canada in 2019. PLUS, I found 3 different color-banded Gulls at Seaside today:
Two more Ring-billed Gulls (blue leg bands), and one Herring Gull (pink leg band). Stay tuned for where they were banded, after I submit data to the USGS banding lab.
