[Birdnet] Rare Gull Frenzy at Lee Kay Ponds

[Tim Avery]

Thanks Kris for posting about the gull situation.  When I arrived at the 
ponds this afternoon the main pond was covered with an estimated 3500~ 
gulls.  The first bird that caught my eye was a dark-mantled gull that 
struck me as an advanced 2nd winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL or a 3rd winter 
bird not quite out of its second year plumage, but when I saw it next to a 
Herring Gull I was confused as it was the same size.  It also had very pink 
legs.  I started to wonder about Slaty-backed Gull, but was at a loss on 
this one:

http://www.timaverybirding.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=492

Any thoughts from the laruphiles (Cliff, Mark, Kris) would be appreciated. 
I am not sure about the size range for LBBG, but assume that a Herrring Gull 
sized bird would be quite unusual.  Maybe all the white was jsut confusing 
me and this is a fairly typical LBBG...

Other gulls of note were:

1 - adult WESTERN GULL (I would assume this is the same bird from last 
winter)
2 - adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
1 or 2 - 1st winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
1 - 2nd winter GLACOUS-WINGED GULL
1 - 2nd winter GLAUCOUS GULL
2 - adult MEW GULL
4 - 1st winter THAYER'S GULL
115 - Herring Gull
750 - Ring-billed Gull

I spent so much time looking at the Black-backed Gulls that I didn't get a 
chance to go through the flock thoroughly to see what maybe hiding in terms 
of white-winged gulls. I was able to get digiscopes of the Black-backed 
Gulls and the Western Gull and have posted them here:

http://www.timaverybirding.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=493

Also, I added a few more pictures from Washington County, including a dark 
more Ferruginous Hawk, and some scenic shots as well:

http://www.timaverybirding.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=494

Good Birding

Tim
Salt Lake City, Utah
tanager at timaverybirding.com
http://www.timaverybirding.com



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kristin Purdy" <kristinpurdy at comcast.net>
To: <birdnet at utahbirds.org>
Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2007 4:05 PM
Subject: [Birdnet] Rare Gull Frenzy at Lee Kay Ponds


> Tim Avery just called (3:45 pm, Saturday) with a report of an amazing 
> concentration of rare gulls at Lee Kay Ponds in Salt Lake County. First, 
> an adult WESTERN GULL, and Tim welcomes all speculation that this bird is 
> last year's 3rd winter Western. Also, three LESSER BLACK-BACKED including 
> an adult, a third winter and a first winter; two MEW GULLS; a second 
> winter GLAUCOUS-WINGED and a GLAUCOUS GULL whose age I don't remember. I 
> might have mixed up the last two birds. Finally, Tim has sifted through 
> the 3000 or so gulls on the ice (another 2,000 circling) and has found 
> four THAYER'S GULLS.
>
> For information on Lee Kay Ponds and directions to get there, launch the 
> link below:
>
> http://www.utahbirds.org/counties/saltlake/LeeKayPonds.htm
>
> Kris
>
> _______________________________________________
> Birdnet mailing list
> Birdnet at utahbirds.org
> http://utahbirds.org/mailman/listinfo/birdnet
>
>
>
> -- 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 
> 269.17.12/1202 - Release Date: 12/29/2007 1:27 PM
>
>