| Common Name | Laughing Gull |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Leucophaeus atricilla |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 10/30/2012 |
| Number Observed | 2 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Don Clark |
| Mailing Address | 244 Bull Hill Rd PO Box 86 Grafton, Vermont 05146 United States Map It |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| 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 | Miller Farm |
| Township | Vernon |
| County | Windham |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 08:15 AM |
| Length of Time Observed | 50 minutes |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 150 yards |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 100 yards |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | clear & sunny |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | 7x42 Zeiss and 20x60 Nikon Field Scope |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | Along coast in TX, FL, MA. 1st inland East sighting. |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Conn. River & setback. |
| Behaviors Observed | Birds first observed flying down river then landing on log mid river near entry to setback. Seemed long winged with steady flight. |
| Description of Vocalizations | None heard. |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | Arrived looking for fallout from recent hurricane. Observed two dark black headed gulls with white tails flying down river. Thinking Bonaparte's for here these birds were much darker and larger, longer winged. After passing by they landed on a log mid river near entrance to setback. In the scope I could then see they were slaty gray backed with black hoods & white eye crescents. Also they had longish downcurved bills. |
| Relative Size & Shape | Larger & heavier than Bonaparte's and more the size of Ring-bill. |
| Head | Black hood and white eye crescents. |
| Feet & Bill | Was not able to see feet but bills were dark and downcurved. |
| Upper Back | Slaty gray. Darker than Ring-bill, Herring or Bonaparte's. |
| Lower Back & Rump | Slaty gray with some white showing in rump area. |
| Wings | Slaty gray, long in flight, light below with black tips, lack of white primary tips. |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | White |
| Tail | White |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | Too large for Bonaparte's. Franklin's because of down curved, long bill, lack of white on wingtips |
| Other Notes & Comments | Adults. I returned here at 10:10 after checking the Vernon dam where I found a single bird at closer range. The birds were still present on the log and I noticed Hector Galbraith & Eric Masterson observing the birds from the NH side and we communicated by phone agreeing on Laughing Gull and that they were probably storm induced. I also told them I had a 3rd bird at the dam. |
| This report was written from notes taken: | Immediately After |
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