MA - back to gulling - 12/14

My first outing (since returning from Israel) to Turner's Falls  produced the first Kumlien's Gull of the winter, along with two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls. I suspect that these are the same two adult Lesser Black-backs that have been consistently wintering at Turner's Falls/Barton Cove for the last two or three winters. There's a good chance that they will remain part of the local gull flock until mid-March or so. Numbers of other large gulls were difficult to assess this evening with a constant rotation of birds dropping into bath, then heading out to the north, but I think less than 100 birds were involved.

 Lesser Black-backed Gull (right) - adult, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. December 14th, 2011. Smaller than the bird featured below which was quite a bit larger (Herring Gull sized) with a heavier bill.

 Lesser Black-backed Gull (center) - adult, the larger of the two Lesser Black-backed Gulls present, flanked by two Great Black-backed Gulls, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. December 14th, 2011.

Kumlien's Gull - first-cycle, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. December 14th, 2011.

JPS