English and Scientific names:

Glaucous Gull, Larus hyperboreus

 

Number of individuals: 

2 individuals, both 1st winter

 

Locality: LOUISIANA: 

Cameron Parish

 

Specific Locality:

Along the jetties at the mouth of the Calcasieu River

 

Date(s) when observed:

April 18, 2010

 

Time(s) of day when observed:  

several times between 9:30 AM and 12:30 PM.

 

Reporting observer and address:

Dave Patton
Lafayette, LA 70506

Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):

Mac Myers

 

Other observers who independently identified the bird(s)

 

Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):

Bright sun.

 

Optical equipment: 

Binoculars and 300mm camera lens

 

Distance to bird(s): 

30 feet

 

Duration of observation:

several times for as long as we wanted. usually 5 minutes.

 

Habitat: 

Sitting on the large rocks that line the channel and following boats as they passed.

Behavior of bird: 

The birds were seen feeding with large flocks of Laughing and Herring Gulls behind boats as they passed in the river channel. They would sometimes sit on the water and also sit on the rocks.

Description:

Gulls slightly larger than Herring Gulls. Overall appearance was very white. Only when looking closley could the pale brown spotting be seen on the body. Legs pink. Bill pink with a black tip. Eye dark as with a first winter bird. Tail and primary tips showed some ware. Primaries all white. The two birds would have been difficult to tell apart except for the photographs. They showed a different structure to the bills with different shaped nostrils. While idling the boat along the rocks, one bird was seen sitting at 12:25PM and the other about 200 yards upstream at 12:36PM. They allowed photos from about 35 feet that showed different bill structure. See photos.

 

Voice:

None

 

Similar species:

Herring - The white primaries and body, and bill color were very different.

 

Photographs or tape recordings obtained?

Yes - mine are attached

 

Previous experience with this species: 

A few in Louisiana

 

Identification aids:

Sibley's

 

 

This description is written from: 

memory and photos

Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain: 

 

Yes

 

Date and time: 

April 29, 2010. 5:00PM