Vermont Rare Bird Reports 2019

none

very rainy! no wind

Vortex Viper 8x42; Kowa scope, 65 mm, 20-60

none; fairly familiar with Great Black-backed Gull

small spit of land near the beach at the mouth of Sucker Brook, usually downed trees or large branches are nearby, water shallow; frequent spot for gulls in migration; also present that day: Herring Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Bonaparte's Gull, Osprey, Canada Goose, Bufflehead and several passerine species in the trees on shore

commingling with the other gull species; the Lesser Black-backed Gulls did not fly, but some of the Ring-billed Gulls took off briefly and returned; the Lesser Black-backed Gulls stood in the water with some of the other gulls

none that I could separate from the Ring-billed Gulls and Herring Gulls

The day was extremely rainy. At first, I was just going to observe the gulls from the parking area, but seeing what I thought were two Great Black-backed Gulls, I took my scope out and walked down toward the beach area. I took several photos, but I did not determine the species to be Lesser Black-backed Gull at the time. The gulls seemed to be the same size as some immature gulls nearby and, at first, I thought they might be immature Great Black-backed Gulls as well (to account for the size similarity). As it was raining so hard I did not want to get my camera equipment wet so I did not linger. Later that day I put a couple of the photos on iNat and someone suggested it might be Lesser Black-backed Gulls (which would then account for the size similarity with what turned out to be immature Herring Gulls). Upon examining the photos more closely I could see the yellow legs which is consistent with Lesser Black-backed Gull.

As both adult and immature Herring and Ring-billed gulls were nearby, along with Bonaparte's Gulls, there was good size comparison. The two Lesser Black-backed Gulls were slightly smaller than the immature Herring Gulls.

head, face, throat and nape white; it was hard to see the eye, they appeared dark in the field, but upon zooming in on the photos, that may not be the case

feet in the water, but the legs were yellow; bill yellow with dark tip

slaty gray, but not as dark as a Great Black-backed Gull; one of the two Lesser Black-backed Gulls was very slightly darker than the other

not visible

black, folded against body

white breast, belly and flanks; undertail coverts not visible

tip black, but not much else visible

Great Black-backed Gull eliminated due to size and clearly yellow legs on the Lesser Black-backed Gull; not quite a bulky as a Great Black-backed.

One adult; the second maybe three-year as it was not quite as dark.

Additionally, two immature gulls seen in one of the photos seem to have lighter heads than the immature Herring Gulls; I can't be sure of the ID of those (immature Lesser Black-backed Gulls?).