MA - more kumlieni - 11/14

 As usual, I'm impressed by the show of Kumlien's (Iceland) Gulls at Barton Cove. Overall, numbers of large gulls remain low with just 10 American Herring and 2 Great Black-backed Gulls present this evening, but three Kumlien's Gulls was most welcome and proportionately high. One particularly dusky bird was especially bold, waiting for hand-outs with the Ring-billed Gulls around the picnic tables.

Matan gets his life Kumlien's Gull up close as it flattens a young Ring-billed Gull right in
front of him! Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 14th, 2013.

 Kumlien's (Iceland) Gull - first-cycle, dusky brown individual with primaries darker than the rest of the upper parts, mostly dark bill and slight 'mask' around the eye and ear coverts giving it a Thayer's-like feel. Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 14th, 2013.

Kumlien's (Iceland) Gull - first-cycle. another dusky looking bird but primaries lighter 
than the previous bird. This bird was far more wary and never came in close. 
Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 14th, 2013.

Kumlien's (Iceland) Gull - first-cycle. Pale bird with even paler primaries and clearly on 

the small side, scarcely bigger than a Ring-billed Gill. This bird showed a reddish-pink base 

to the bill with an obvious diffuse blackish tip.  Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 14th, 2013.