[NatureNS] Large numbers of Iceland Gulls at Hartlen Pt., HRM

Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:37:40 -0300
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All:

Made a circuit this of Back Cove, Hartlen Pt., HRM, where I met Dave  
Currie. We saw no evidence of recent arrivals - robins, Song Sparrows,  
and chickadees as usual, plus one singing Golden-crowned Kinglet (with  
my "Songfinder").

On the harbourside beach, there was one "Ipswich Sparrow" and the  
usual springtime gathering of Iceland Gulls. In fact, I counted over  
135 of these at HP plus towards E. Passage. To illustrate the  
phenomenon I've put a small slice of the main  flock at the end of the  
gulls and terns folder in NS-RBA photos.

Many of these appeared to have pure white primaries and some had pale  
bases to their bills, and this has been true of spring gatherings  
there in previous years. This is characteristic of "true" Iceland Gull  
(the Greenland-nesting nominate subspecies), although some Nunavut  
colonies of "Kumlien's" do include pure white-primaried individuals.

However, the mantles of the gulls were all very white. suggesting  
there had been considerable sun-bleaching of any darkish marks during  
winter/spring, and some or many of the birds with pale bases to the  
bill may have been 2nd-cycle (2nd-winter) birds, and those I looked at  
more closely were not especially small or small-billed, like many  
"true" "Icelands."

There have been some pretty convincing "true" Icelands here, but it  
may only be  safe to consider photos of individuals with small,  
pale-based bills and pure white primaries taken earlier in winter.

S


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