MA - the first Iceland Gull of the fall

Iceland Gull (L.g.kumlieni) - second-cycle, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 15th, 2018.

Opportunities for viewing gulls at Turner's Falls have been few and far between this autumn. The larger gulls in particular have been extremely scarce with very few (single digits) of both Great Black-backed and Herrings Gulls. But that finally changed this evening when I was delighted to find a small raft of both species, along with some Ring-billed Gulls, at the power canal. I hadn't been there too long when the next flock to arrive brought a lovely second-cycle Iceland Gull. Many of the gulls left before complete darkness but the Iceland Gull was one of the few that remained.

Iceland Gull (L.g.kumlieni) - second-cycle, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 15th, 2018.

Iceland Gull (L.g.kumlieni) - second-cycle, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 15th, 2018.

In addition, there just happened to be a tremendous waterfowl roost this evening with some estimated 800 Canada Geese, 500 Mallard, 60 Common Merganser and 35 Common Goldeneye among the species present.