Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Laughing Gull
Scientific name:	[Leucophaeuus atricilla]
Date:	5/22/26
Time:	7:40 & 9:10am
Length of time observed:	20+ min
Number:	1
Age:	adult? subadult?
Sex:
Location:	Sand Hollow State Park on "expansive south beach"
County:	Washington
Latilong:
Elevation:	3000
Distance to bird:	150 to 60 yards
Optical equipment:	Leica scope, 20-60x
Weather:	high but relatively heavy overcast (for St George); ~70 degrees; strong north wind
Light Conditions:	near optimal, even light due to cloud cover
Description: Size of bird:	medium-small gull size
(Description:) Basic Shape:	gull shape
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	blackish hood, dark gray mantle, white below
(Description:) Bill Type:	relatively thin, slight droop
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Black hood finely mottled whitish in face and throat; prominent eye-arc oriented toward rear of eye; dark bill comparatively large/long, slightly drooped, hint of reddish near base in some views; dark gray mantle; small white spots or vertical lines (usually 3 visible) on black primaries at rest; narrow white band along trailing edge in flight; black legs. (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:
Behavior:	Almost constantly walking on the beach with intermittent short flights (in search of forage?)
Habitat:	Expansive sand beach on large fresh water reservoir
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Franklin's Gull has LARGE, conspicuous white spots spaced along dark flight feathers. Otherwise very similar. Bonaparte's Gull is way smaller/daintier and lacks eye arcs and wing spots. Little Gull: ditto Sabine's Gull: ditto, and has medium-large wing spots Black-headed Gull has paler mantle, browner head and less conspicuous eye arcs
Previous experience with this & similar species:	This is my third Laughing Gull in consecutive late springs at Sand Hollow SP. Last June s gull was an immature (same individual??). My tour group found an adult vagrant at Tokeland (SE WA) August 2023. I have seen many on the East Coast, most recently in April 2025 on the beaches near Cape Canaveral. I have observed and distinguished many Franklin's and Bonaparte's Gulls at Sand Hollow over the last three years. Years ago I observed many and various European/Mediterranean black-headed type gulls.
References consulted:	Sibley's field guide & app; AllAboutBirds.org
Description from:	Notes made later From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Paul Hicks
Observer's address:	1630 E 2450 S #26, St George, UT, 84790
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:
Date prepared:	5/23/26
Additional material:	Photos
Additional comments:	Since I had found Laughing Gull at Sand Hollow SP the two previous late springs, I had the possibility in the back of my mind from the start. I first spotted it around 7:40am with a dozen or two other gulls on the expansive south beach. I made a tentative ID (and texted the local rarity chasers) based mostly on bill size but it was hard to study, walking almost constantly with intermittent short flights. By the time I got my camera phone it had disappeared. Fortunately it had returned for my return leg around 9:10am when it allowed reasonably close approach for pics.