[Birdnet] Farmington Bay Gulls 02/25

[Webmail rfridell]

Hello,

I was in Salt Lake this week for meetings and was able to get out on
Wednesday and visit Farmington Bay WMA (Davis Co.). The birding (and
photographic opportunity) was absolutely fantastic, with hundreds of Bald
Eagles and thousands of Tundra Swans.  Mostly I concentrated on the
fantastic gull show (previously reported, in the large pool southeast of the
gate at the end of the open area). The number and variety
of gulls was pretty amazing. One of the highlights for me was the hundreds
of Herring Gulls present; providing an excellent opportunity to study and
get confused about all the various ages and plumages. The Glaucous Gulls
were also amazing (and cooperative), with an adult, a first-, second-, and
third-cycle present. The adult Western Gull was still present, but stayed
quite a long ways out while I was there. Bryant's mystery gull was indeed an
adult Lesser black-backed gull; it was relatively small, and had a
surprisingly clean head and neck, with only a few smudges on the back of the
neck and above the eyes. I also saw a first- and third-winter
Glaucous-winged, an adult Mew, and five or six Thayer's, mostly first-cycle
(and one third-cycle).
The Iceland (Kumlien's) gull was also, eventually, cooperative. I believe
this is a Kumlien's Gull (Larus glaucoides kumlieni) rather than a nominate
Iceland Gull (L. g. glaucoides) as has been reported, primarilly because it
shows brownish on the outer webs of the outer primaries (P7-10).  There is
also another extremely pale gull around that might be confused with
the iceland gull, but it has a dark bill (not distinctly bi-colored). I'm
not sure where the Kumlien's came from but it obligingly appeared in the
scope while I was studying the other pale gull. I was starting to think the
other gull might be an 'Iceland-type' gull as well (and I suppose it could
be) but side by side, it appeared structurally larger and longer-billed than
the Kumlien's Gull. Tim commented on this bird's bicolored bill, and
although this is more typical of a nominate first-cycle Iceland Gull,
apparently some Kumlien's Gulls show this as well.
Finally, I saw a gull (I think second-cycle ) that struck me as a possible
'Vega' Gull, but I need to study these alot more.  I do have some
long-distance, but passable, photos if any larophile out there would like to
have a look.

It was nice to get out in northern Utah for a change (and of course running
into Jack and Keith and others).

Regards,

Rick Fridell
Hurricane, UT

ps, While I was gull-watching, I also had two Tree Swallows fly by at
Farmington Bay.
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