Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2016-04
| Common name: |
Heermann''s Gull |
| Scientific name: | Lanus heermanni |
| Date: | 3/18/16 |
| Time: | 9:30am |
| Length of time observed: | 20-30 minutes |
| Number: | 30 |
| Age: | Adult |
| Sex: | Unknown |
| Location: | Lone Rock Beach on Lake Powell at Glen Canyon NRA |
| County: | Kane |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | 3000 |
| Distance to bird: | 600-800 ft |
| Optical equipment: | Leupold Binoculars 10x50 |
| Weather: | Sunny and clear with the sun behind me |
| Light Conditions: | Excellent - sun at my back and fairly low in the sky |
| Description: Size of bird: | Appeared smaller than the Ring-billed Gulls next to them |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Gull shaped swimming in the lake |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Charcoal Black to Gray with White Head |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Orange gull bill - couldn't make out black tip. |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Charcoal black wings, flank and tail, Slightly lighter gray breast contrasting with whiter neck and head. White head with orange bill. To far to make-out black bill tip. The dark color made them appear smaller than the Ring-billed gulls swimming along side them, but they were definitely around the same size. To far to make out the white in the tail. Didn't observe any flying. |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | N/A |
| Behavior: | Swimming and behaving like Gulls, head erect, tail pointed out, riding high in the water. |
| Habitat: | Lake |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Western gulls are blacker, have more white in the breast and wings and have
yellow bills. Laughing gulls have either mottled heads and black bills or black heads and orange bills. To dark to be Ring-billed gulls and to dark and small to be Herring Gulls. Black-tailed would be even rarer and didn't match any of the features. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I've photographed them in California, Oregon and Washington |
| References consulted: | iBird Pro on my phone and Gulls of North America. |
| Description from: | Notes made later |
| Observer: | Keith Brink |
| Observer's address: | P.O. Box 1902, Page AZ 86040 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | |
| Date prepared: | 3/20/16 |
| Additional material: | No_additional_Materials |
| Additional_Comments: | I have 36 years of birding experience. |