IBRC #19-B-12

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES: Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens)
HOW MANY: 1-1st Winter

REPORTER: Doug Ward 8362 Selkirk Ct. Hayden, ID 83835 (208) 762-7107
REPORTER EMAIL: dougward@frontier.com
OTHER OBSERVERS: Gina Sheridan originally found what was probably this bird on 23 Dec.'11. Several others reported during period. Lisa Hardy photograhed this bird on 13 Jan.'12 at Blue Ck Bay (attached)

DATE REPORT PREPARED: 1 February 2012
DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: 29 December 2011 - 25 January 2012

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: Wolf Lodge & Blue Creek Bays, Lake Coeur d’Alene; Coeur d’Alene, Kootenai County, Idaho
HABITAT: Open water lake, mud flats, and on ice.
CONDITIONS: First sighting at Wolf Lodge Bay was at around 12pm with bright overcast at about 150m with 8X40 binoculars and a 15-40X spotting scope. Seen on four (4) separate occasions during period at distances ranging from 50m to 300m.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: Yes, later the same day
DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: No, not at all
WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?:

DESCRIPTION: Large “white-winged” gull in first cycle plumage. Plumage: Entirely grey-brown overall; slightly paler on the head. No defined markings anywhere on the bird except for some muted mottling on the wing coverts. Rump and tail coverts same as rest of the bird, as was the even colored grey-brown tail. Upper wing: All flight feathers were the same grey-brown color as the rest of the bird, but looked somewhat translucent in flight. Under wing: Entirely silvery grey. Bill / Feet / Eye Color: The bill was black and the eyes appeared dark. Legs and feet were pink. Structure: Large, bulky gull with a long, droopy bill which showed a strong gonydeal angle. Similar in size to a 1st year Glaucous Gull (L. hyperboreas) which it landed next to when first seen.
BEHAVIOR: Seen both resting and flying. Loosely associated with an “Olympic” Gull (L. occidentalis X glaucescens) during one observation at Blue Creek Bay on 9 January 2012, but seen by itself subsequently.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? Fairly straight forward identification due to this bird's large size, very even coloration (including the primaries, secondaries, and tail) and large, "droopy" black bill. When first seen it flew in and landed next to a 1st winter Glaucous Gull (L. hyperboreas) for direct comparison.
HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? The pale, even coloration of this bird’s flight feathers eliminates most species. “White-winged” gulls considered were Glaucous Gull (L. hyperboreas) and Iceland Gull (L. glaucoides), including the “Kumlien’s” subspecies. Glaucous Gull was eliminated as this bird would be on the very darkest end of coloration expected for this species. In addition, Glaucous Gulls show nicely proportioned bi-colored bills as opposed to this bird’s large, drooping, all black bill. Iceland Gull was eliminated by this bird’s large size and general bulk.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): I've seen thousands of Glaucous-winged Gulls (L. glaucescens) on the west coast from British Columbia south to California. I'd seen one previously in Colorado, though this is my first for Idaho. I've seen dozens of Glaucous Gulls(L. hyperboreas) in similar plumage in Colorado and Idaho, but only two 1st year "Kumlien's" Iceland (L. glaucoides) in New York.
GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: I've been birding for 38 years and consider myself advanced.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: Photo

This photo was taken by Lisa Hardy at Blue Creek Bay on 13 January 2012.