Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2012-02
| Common name: |
Lesser Black-backed Gull |
| Scientific name: | Larus fuscus |
| Date: | 01-23-2012 |
| Time: | 15:51 |
| Length of time observed: | 10 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | 4th winter |
| Sex: | |
| Location: | Lee Kay Ponds |
| County: | Salt Lake |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | 4200 feet |
| Distance to bird: | 75 yards |
| Optical equipment: | 10X50 Bushnell binoculars, Cannon SX20 Digital Camera, Alpen 20X60 Spotting Scope, |
| Weather: | Snowing |
| Light Conditions: | very poor |
| Description: Size of bird: | medium sized gull |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | gull like |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | very dark mantled,with a pale head and yellow legs |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Long and slender |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
What caught my eye was the very dark charcoal gray back,much darker than the
Califorina and Ring-billed Gulls nearby. When I got the scope on it,it had a
pale eye and dark markings on the tip of the bill,both upper and lower
mandibles,indicating a 4th winter bird. It had yellow legs and was slightly
larger than the California Gulls (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | none heard |
| Behavior: | resting on the ice in a snow storm,not moving around much,but head up and looking around |
| Habitat: | On the ice.near some open water,on a partially frozen over fresh water pond,near a landfill |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Too small to be a Western or Yellow-footed Gull, the only other dark mantled gulls on the utah checklist. Also to small to be a Great Black-backed Gull or a Slate-backed Gull, both of which also have pink legs. Also had very long wings, which is consistent with a LBBG Much darker backed than all other gulls. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Yes, I have seen them at Farmington bay last month, and again in February of last year, and in February of 2009. |
| References consulted: | Sibley Guide to Western Birds D.A. Sibley 2000, Peterson Reference Guides: Gulls of the Americas J.Dun/S.N.G. Howell 2007 |
| Description from: | From memory |
| Observer: | Bryant Olsen |
| Observer's address: | 688 East 700 South SLC,UT 84102 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | bryant_olsen@yahoo.com |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | none,although one was report 2 days before from multiple observers on a Great Salt Lake Audubon field trip at the same location. |
| Date prepared: | 01-26-2012 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional_Comments: | I will send a photo to the webmaster, but also see http://www.flickr.com/photos/bryanto/6752480387/ for a discussion of the age of the bird.Thanks for the help Ryan. |