[redcliffs] Glaucous-winged Gull at Sand Hollow SP 12/06

[Rick Fridell]

Hello,

Finally, some interesting gulls in southern Utah!.   Today (12/06) there was
a first-winter Glaucous-winged Gull at Sand Hollow State Park, Washington
Co.  The gull spent it's time on the sandstone outcroppings, visible from
the large main parking lot (but a scope is useful if it's on one of the more
distance rocks). Kevin and Pam Wheeler were also able to view the bird this
afternoon. As far as I know, this is the first occurrence of Glaucous-winged
Gull in Washington County (or southern Utah?).

There was also another intriguing "large first-winter gull" present at Sand
Hollow. It was a bit smaller than the Glaucous-winged Gull, and for a while
I was leaning towards a Thayer's Gull...   Although I took some photos (of
it perched) and was able to observe it for quite awhile, I can't completely
rule out Herring Gull, or perhaps some other first-winter gull combination.
Another humbling lesson of how difficult it is to identify some (many?)
large first-winter gulls.

If it's sticking around tomorrow I might head back and try to get some
photos of the wings and tail in flight.


Other noteworthy birds at Sand Hollow today included two juvenile Tundra
Swans, three Snow Geese, and the continuing female Surf Scoter.  Also a lone
Greater White-fronted Goose was with a feral Egyptian Goose at the SR-9
(Hurricane) Sewer Ponds (southeast pond).  I didn't make it by Quail Creek
today, but the juvenile Red-throated Loon and male Barrow's Goldeneye were
still present mid-week.


Regards,

Rick Fridell
Hurricane, UT