Friday, December 2, 2011

Northern Maine Birds: Late season gulls

See the Iceland Gull?  Collins Pond Caribou
I checked Trafton Lake again this morning following a report of a possible Canvasback there.  I found a few rusty headed Common Mergansers but no Can.  The light is horrible from the landing here in the early AM with almost everything on the lake heavily backlit at that hour so I can't be sure I saw everything.  

Juvenile Black-legged Kittiwake in flight, upper right
I DID see the previously reported Kittiwake was still present and flying about the lake.  I also saw a couple Northern Pintails and a surprisingly big flock of Canada Geese.

Collins Pond had over 500 gulls this AM including two Icelands.  A banded Great Black-backed Gull was preening on the ice.  The alpha code on the black color band on its left leg appeared to be "BW" or "8W"  I photographed it and sent the images to some gull researchers and will post if I hear anything about the origin of this bird.  Appledore?

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