Lesser Black-backed Gull at Solomons

Gregory B Miller (gregorym@erols.com)
Sun, 18 Jan 1998 18:21:34 -0500 

Hi all,

I made a break from my gray cubicle today <grin>

1/18/98 5:45pm

Just got back from the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Pier at the far
Eastern end of Solomons in Southern Calvert County.  I spent the last
half hour of waning light with Jane Kostenko trying to relocate 
[unsuccessfully] the adult Lesser Black-backed Gull I had seen from
3:40pm-4:00pm today.  There were several hundred gulls and the
population on the pier was changing constantly.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull was seen in the company of lots of Herring
Gulls.  It was only 1/2 way out the pier and was easily sighted with
binoculars in good afternoon sunlight.  I set up the scope and studied
it.  It's not often I get this close to a Lesser Black-backed Gull (I
usually see them on "the wall" at the Conowingo Dam.  A little distant
to take in a lot of detail...)

It was noticeably smaller than the Herring Gulls with a proportionately
shorter, thinner bill.  The red spot on the bill was very clean with a
dark vertical line immediately behind it.  The head was streaked.  The
area on the lower nape and upper chest were heavier streaked than the
Herrings it was with.  The eye was yellow.  The back was paler than some
Lesser Black-backed Gulls I've seen.  I'd say it was a little darker
than a Catbird.  Wing tips were black (contrasting with mantle color)
and had white spots in the first few outer primaries.  Tail was white. 
Everything seemed pretty standard to me except for the legs.  The legs
were a dull grayish yellow.  I have not seen any Lesser Black-backed
Gulls with this leg color (all I've ever seen have brighter yellow
legs).

Anyone else out there have experience with off-color legs on an adult
Lesser Black-backed Gull?

I also had 3 Bonaparte's Gulls and 2 Greater Scaup today at the BGE
Visitor Center at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant.  The Brown
Thrasher working in the leaves below the platform was a bonus bird
<grin>.

I'm going to try to break away from work again tomorrow (Monday) and
head down to Solomons before last daylight (between 4-5pm) to scan
through the gulls again.  I'll repost with any new info...

Greg Miller
Lusby, MD
Home: 410-394-0769 gregorym@erols.com
Work: 410-495-4156 Gregory.B.Miller@bge.com