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Only a minority of WC’s readers are birders. WC is working to change that, with limited success thus far. But WC saw a new bird Friday and will walk readers through the process he used to identify the bird.
Gulls and terns – Larids – are WC’s favorite North American birds. Some gulls go through as many as eight different plumages on the path to adulthood. Some gulls, in sub-adult plumages, are quite similar. It makes identification a real challenge. And both gulls and terns are so beautifully adapted that all of them are fun.
The first view of WC’s mystery bird was at a considerable distance, but the bird was clearly a gull or tern.
Mystery Gull in Flight, Distant View
Not one of the regularly breeding gulls or terns, unless a juvenile. Too chunky in the chest to be a tern; probably a gull. The bird was dropping to the surface a lot, and not very gracefully. Likely a juvenile with limited flight and hunting experience. The bird was slowly moving closer.
Mystery Gull Moving Closer
A very strong, distinctive pattern on the wings; should be easy to key out in Sibley [Amazon link] (Sibley is the best field guide for immature gulls). The large black ear spot suggests a black-headed gull in non-breeding or, again, juvenile plumage. Thin, sharp bill. Maybe a juvenile Bonaparte’s Gull?
And then the mystery bird landed. On the wing of a Cessna 185 on floats, ironically enough, providing an outstanding view of the bird.
Mystery Bird Perched: Juvenile Bonaparte’s Gull
And there you have it. WC’s first juvenile Bonaparte’s Gull. A few minutes with Gulls of North America, Europe and Asia [Amazon link] removed any lingering doubt. Yes, it would have been fun to find some accidental visitor, a Black-headed Gull maybe, but Bonaparte’s kid is pretty cool. To get a decent photo of it is just icing.
Well you’ve converted me. I really enjoy your posts on birding and until I started reading them I never found birds very interesting. You bring a heartfelt joy to your passion and it is quite exhilarating to read. I am trying to get my 12yo son out on walks with me to enjoy the wildlife and especially to see if we can follow a small portion of your example.
Thanks for such a great look into your soul.
Stanley E Pekata
July 28, 2012 at 7:54 am
Those darn confusing juvenile gulls! I remember in one bird identification guide, it may have been Nat. Geo’s, that said, paraphrasing: immature gull identification was confusing and difficult even for the most advanced birder. So don’t get discouraged or give up!
Sibley’s Guide to Birds say’s “Gull i.d. represents one of the most challenging and subjective puzzles in birding and should be approached only with patient and methodical study. A casual or impatient approach will not be rewarded.”
In other words – be prepared to spend many long hours trying to see something and then wondering if you saw what you thought you saw. I so often tend to just skim over the flocks of glaucous-winged and mew gulls, when I should be paying more attention because you never know what might be tucked away in the flock.
I’ve only seen adult Bonaparte’s, now I know what to look for in a juvenile. Thanks, WC.
Kate McLaughlin
July 28, 2012 at 11:07 am