|
English and Scientific names: |
Black-legged
Kittiwake (Rissa
tridactyla)
|
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Number of individuals: |
One in worn first-summer plumage |
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Locality: LOUISIANA: |
Cameron Parish |
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Specific Locality: |
East Jetty Beach, ca. 1/4 mi. east of the east jetty; ca.
2 mi. S Cameron |
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Date(s) when observed: |
29 April 2007 |
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Time(s) of day when
observed: |
Between 7:30 and 7:50
PM CST |
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Reporting observer and address: |
Justin Bosler |
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Other observers accompanying reporter who
also identified the bird(s): |
Devin Bosler |
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Other
observers who independently identified the bird(s): |
None that I know of. |
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Light
conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount
of light): |
Fair lighting
conditions under mostly cloudy sky with the sun at a low angle on our backs |
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Optical equipment: |
Zeiss Victory FL 8x42
(brand new) and Nikon Fieldscope 60ED with 25-45x zoom eyepiece (good) |
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Distance to
bird(s): |
At closest point
between 500-600 meters. |
|
Duration of
observation: |
The observation lasted
approximately 20 minutes. |
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Habitat: |
Sandy beach of
immediate shoreline to shallow surf of Gulf of Mexico. |
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Behavior of bird: |
The gull was first
discovered resting on the beach slightly removed from the other larids, but
soon began to bathe and preen actively in the shallow surf for the remainder
of the observation. |
|
Description: |
Medium-sized gull with
pale gray mantle, blackish carpal bar, and mostly white underparts. In
structure, it appeared slightly pot-bellied with relatively short legs in
comparison to laughing gull. Immediately noticeable were dark gray ear covert
patch; diffuse grayish tone on hind crown; thin, black hind collar or neck-boa;
and dingy, straw yellow bill. The secondaries and greater secondary coverts
were whitish. Even median secondary coverts were pale gray to white in
coloration. Primaries and primary coverts were brownish-black and very
abraded due to wear. Some primaries were nearly worn down to the shaft. The
lesser coverts were mostly dark brown with some light patches of gray. A
thin, black subterminal tail band was also evident. Legs were dark brown to
black. |
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Voice: |
No voice heard. |
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Similar
species: |
A similarly-aged
Bonaparte's Gull could be eliminated by overall size, structure, and bare
part coloration, specifically legs and bill (deep pink and black,
respectively). Nearly the same characters can easily separate it from a
subadult Sabine's Gull. Sabine's Gull normally has paler brown upperwing
coverts, lacks a dark ear spot, and has different bare part colorations.
Sabine's also has extremely long primaries, which gives it an overall slimmer
look. Some first-summer Sabine's Gulls may show incomplete dark hood. |
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Photographs
or tape recordings obtained? |
Digivideo'd video grabs
by Justin Bosler |
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Previous
experience with this species: |
In addition to the
prior run in with a first-winter/first-summer individual of this species in
Louisiana on 20 March 2007, Black-legged Kittiwakes were encountered as
common migrants and fairly common winter residents at a select few coastal
locations in downeast Maine, where I lived for a year. Also, October pelagic
trip from Bar Harbor, ME; birding Cape Ann and Cape Cod peninsulas of MA in
winter, and a few seen from Island Beach State Park in NJ. |
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Identification aids: |
after observation:
Consulted Olsen and Larsson's
"Gulls of North America, Europe, and Asia" for detailed description
of specific age classification and plumage advancement in this species. |
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This description is written from: |
My description is
written from both notes taken after the observation and from memory. |
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Are
you positive of your identification? If not, explain: |
Yes, I am 100%
confident in the identification. |
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Reporter: |
Justin Bosler
|
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Date and time: |
22 September
2007; 1:12 AM CST |