Dark Kumlien's Gull, Cape Ann - 01/10

Kumlien's Gull - dark first-cycle front left, pale bird to the right.

Kumlien's Gull dark first-cycle front right.

Kumlien's Gull - dark first-cycle front left.

Kumlien's Gulls - dark first-cycle front left, lighter bird to the right and first-cycle Glaucous upper left.

Kumlien's Gull - dark first-cycle front center.

Another highlight from the January 10th gull session at Niles Pond. A beautiful dark first-cycle Kumlien's Gull found late in the day, but thankfully it walked across the ice to provide these wonderful views at close range in direct comparison with American Herring and more typically plumaged first-cycle Kumlien's Gulls. This is possibly the darkest that I've seen since this bird at Rochester WWTP, NH in December 2004.

Although on the dark side for Kumlien's, the plumage is remarkably uniform in tone and markings. A Thayer's of similar age and color should show contrastingly dark blackish-brown primaries amongst other features.


JPS.