I went to the Fauquier Co. landfill for a short while this morning. Numbers of
large gulls were only around 300 or so but there was some interesting stuff
there. I fairly quickly found a 1st year KUMLIEN'S GULL which was very
cooperative and came in to less than 20ft.
Shortly after that I found a darker bird, either a pale THAYER'S or a dark
KUMLIEN'S or something in between. Structurally it was larger and squarer
headed, and larger billed, than the KUMLIEN'S I had found earlier. I am not
100% confident in it being a THAYER'S though as the lower scapulars are very
pale. Certainly you can get Thayer's a lot darker than this bird and I don't
have much field experience with this gull. I'd be interested in any comments
people would have on this bird - see the photos below.
Then I found a 3rd winter KUMLIEN'S, not so cooperative as the two younger
birds, but it did feed to fly in at the tipping point for a short while.
No Glaucous, but there were 2 adult, 1 sub-adult and 3 1st winter Lesser
Black-backed Gulls in the mix.
Pictures:
1st year Kumlien's:
http://www.harrisbirds.com/Kumliens%20Dec%20Va2.htm
3rd winter Kumlien's:
http://www.harrisbirds.com/Kumliens%203W1.htm
Possible Thayer's:
http://www.harrisbirds.com/KUTH1.htm
Regards
Clive Harris
Cabin John, MD
