| Common Name | Laughing Gull |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Leucophaeus atricilla |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 04/25/2023 |
| Media | |
| Number Observed | 1 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Zac Cota |
| Mailing Address | 32 University Lane Colchester, VT 05446 United States Map It |
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| Date Completed | 04/27/2023 |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 44.635760 |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | -73.266448 |
| Place Name | Apple Island Marina |
| Township | South Hero |
| County | Grand Isle |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 12:55 PM |
| Length of Time Observed | 25 |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 150 |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 150 |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | Sunny, windy, with clouds moving in from west. |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | Eagle optic binoculars (8x42), Celestron Ultima scope 66x100 |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | I have observed this species 38 previous times, primarily on the Atlantic coast as far south as Cape May, NJ and as far north was Eastern Egg Rock in Maine. |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Seen resting and walking on dock along shore of the inland sea of Lake Champlain. |
| Behaviors Observed | Resting, walking, stretching. |
| Description of Vocalizations | None. |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | After birding my way back to VT from Plattsburgh via the Champlain Islands, I was prepared to head straight home from South Hero. On my way past Apple Island Resort, I noticed a group of gulls and terns roosting on the docks of the marina. A single black-hooded gull caught my eye, and at first I assumed it was a Bonaparte's Gull. I had already passed by when I recalled the words of Fred Pratt, "look at every bird". I pulled to the shoulder, then reversed far enough to glance at the flock with my bins. I immediately noticed the bold white eye arcs, and a big, droopy bill. Those two features alone demanded closer inspection, so I pulled out my scope and walked along the road to the entrance of the resort. This bird struck my as relatively bigger than a BOGU would be compared to the RBGU, and a closer scope view revealed the bill to be a deep red color. I observed the bird for a good 10 minutes, ruling out other possibilities like FRGU, before I felt confident enough reporting it via the listserv and calling some other local birders. |
| Relative Size & Shape | Smaller than RBGU, but only just. Relatively long primaries give the bird a tipping forward appearance. |
| Head | Full black hood clearly delineated from white neck and nape. Bold white eye arcs. |
| Feet & Bill | Long, drooping deep red bill. Legs black. |
| Upper Back | Mantle dark grey. |
| Lower Back & Rump | Not viewed. |
| Wings | Long, black primaries. No white tips noted. |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | Breast, belly, flanks, and undertail white. |
| Tail | Not well viewed beneath folded primaries. |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | Larger than BOGU, with proportionally longer primaries, and long red bill as opposed to thin black bill (BOGU). Mantle darker, and bill longer and heavier than BHGU. Lacked the large white primary tips of FRGU. |
| This report was written from notes taken: | Written from Memory |
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