From: Wisconsin Birding Network On Behalf Of Edward Keyel
Sent: Sunday, December 23, 2007 2:37 PM
To: Wisconsin Birding Network
Subject: [wisb] Slaty-backed Gull Racine

Hi all,

I went back this morning to try to get pictures of the Purple Sandpiper and Dunlin on the algae maps at Carre-Hogle Park, I started looking to see if there were any rare gulls around. Immediately found an adult non-breeding Lesser Black-backed Gull. Upon a little further inspection, I saw another medium-large adult, non-breeding gull with a dark mantle. I was surprised to see that it had pink legs! The bird had very heavily streaked head (similar to the Menasha bird last winter). My friend Stephan was with me, and while he's not a birder, he said that the legs looked pink as well (and specifically not yellow, as could be compared with the Lesser). The bird had been standing in the water near a frozen patch in the lake and was slightly preening (I could see mirrors on P10 and P9). About the time Rick Fare came by, it flew over to the ice, put its head down and went to sleep. It was still present when I left about 11:30, though still sleeping. The Lesser Black-backed was not.  Both shorebirds where.

However, they did fly out to the breakwater at one point, so if you go looking for them and do not find them right away, I would suggest waiting around a little bit. Good birding to all!

-Ted Keyel
Sun Prairie,
Dane Cty

Photo by Edward Keyel Photo by Edward Keyel
Photo by Edward Keyel Photo by Edward Keyel

 

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