| Common Name | Laughing Gull |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Leucophaeus atricilla |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 10/30/2012 |
| Number Observed | 1 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Don Clark |
| Mailing Address | 244 Bull Hill Rd PO Box 86 Grafton, Vermont 05146 United States Map It |
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| Date Completed | 11/13/2022 |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 0 |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 0 |
| Place Name | Vernon Dam |
| Township | Vernon |
| County | Windham |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 09:45 AM |
| Length of Time Observed | 20 minutes |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 100' |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 50' |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | clear & sunny |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | 7x42 Zeiss, 20x60 Nikon Field Scope |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | Along coast (TX, FL, MA). 1st inland East. |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Impoundment behind power dam on Conn. River |
| Behaviors Observed | Sitting on water washing wit Ring-billed gulls. Flew up briefly, circled and dropped back down. |
| Description of Vocalizations | None that I heard. Only from RB's |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | First observed slatey backed, black headed gull sitting on water with Ring-billed Gulls. Was close in size but slightly smaller. In the scope could see white eye crescents, reddish bill showing a slight down curve. Dark legs could be seen as it circled closer. Longish wings in flight. |
| Relative Size & Shape | Slightly smallr than Ring-billed Gulls when sitting on water. |
| Head | Black hood. White eye crescents. |
| Feet & Bill | Dark legs & feet in flight. Bill red & showing slight down curve. |
| Upper Back | Slatey gray and darker than Ring-bills. |
| Lower Back & Rump | Slatey gray and darker than Ring-bills. Showing some white on rump when it anked in flight. |
| Wings | Slatey gray above, light below with black tips & white primary tips. |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | White underparts. |
| Tail | White, unmarked. |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | Franklin's because of bill shape (downcurved) and lack of B&W wing tip pattern. Bonaparte's by size, eye crescents and darker plumage. |
| Other Notes & Comments | Two more were observed prior to seeing this bird just upriver at the Miller Farm that were later observed by Hector Galbraith & Eric Masterson on my return there.They were on the NH side and we communicated by phone. |
| This report was written from notes taken: | Immediately After |
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