IBRC #65-B-11

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES: Glaucous Gull
HOW MANY: one adult

REPORTER: Norma Trefry 13222 E. Nixon Spokne Valley, WA 99216 509, 926 2533
REPORTER EMAIL: firsttrefry@gmail.com
OTHER OBSERVERS: none that I know of on Wolf Lodge Bay

DATE REPORT PREPARED: Dec. 6,2011
DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: Nov. 27, 2011

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: Wolf Lodge Bay, Coeur d'Alene Lake, Kootenai Co. Idaho
HABITAT: water
CONDITIONS: I observed the bird for 10-15 minutes as it flew over the lake,fairly low and close to shore.There was little wind that day, and the water was calm.I have 8x 42 Leica binoculars. The sun was behind me and the temp.30-40 degrees.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: Yes, later the same day
DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: Yes, later the same day
WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?: David Sibley's Guide to Birds,2000ed.

DESCRIPTION: Laridae. The gull's large size, pale gray upper wings, and white underwings,belly,sides and breast made me think immediately of Glaucous Gull. The bill was yellow. I could not see the eye nor the feet as it was flying.
BEHAVIOR: The Glaucous was larger the the Ring Bill Gulls in the area. It was flying low over the water for seveeral minutes, the flew across the lake out of viewing sight

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? As soon as I saw the allwhite trailing edge to the wings and noted the large size and pale gray upperwings, I felt it was a Glaucous Gull.
HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? The bird was too pale for Glaucous-winged, and too small for an Iceland Gull.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): In previous years I have seen Glaucous Gulls along the Washington and Oregon Coasts while were were traveling and birding.
GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: Twenty one yars I am an experienced birder, but do not consider myself and "expert" birder.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: None