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Help with ID needed
- To: <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
- Subject: Help with ID needed
- From: "Chris Welch" <dmw@viperlink.net>
- Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2000 21:59:58 -0400
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
All,
This past week, I encountered a sea gull at the end of Beachwalker Park on
Kiawah Island near Charleston. It was an unusual gull. The
characteristic that made me initially notice it was its size. It was at
least 3 inches smaller than the nearby laughing gulls, so I took a
closer look. The bird was in its seasonal molt, or possibly an
immature. I would figure that most adults would have breeding plumage
by this time, so I assume that this bird was probably a first or second
year immature.
The head was largely blotchy with black and white, the black being more
toward the front of the head. I got no good looks at the primaries, but
when standing on the beach, there was much white mixed in with the black
in the wings pressed against the body. The bird also flew around, and I
had an excellent view of a gray median tail patch on the dorsal side.
The bill and legs were black, or even possibly a very dark red (the sun
shone directly on it, and made it hard to tell). What are the
possibilities of gulls other than Laughing gulls, such as Bonaparte's or
other species in this general category of hooded gulls. I ran back
after viewing this bird to get a camera, but the bird acted very
solitary, and when I got back, it was gone. I had searched for it since
with no luck.
Thanks for your help with this bird.
Chris Welch, 18
dmw@viperlink.net
Campobello, SC