Date: 2/24/26 5:02 pm From: Patty McLean <000008e6fff5e5c8-dmarc-request...> Subject: Lesser Black-backed Gulls on Beaverfork Lake
After picking up groceries this afternoon, we made what was supposed to be a quick stop at Beaverfork Lake on our way home. As we sat in our cozy, warm car doing a quick binocular scan, we saw two large, darker mantled gulls on the lake. Darn. This meant we had to get out in the chilly wind, setting up our scopes in hopes of confirming their identity. One of the gulls was pretty straightforward: larger than a Ring-billed, dark wings, pale eye and a yellow bill with a large red dot. The second one was a bit more complicated. We could tell it was an immature gull (which is always fun to attempt to identify). It appeared slightly smaller, darkish wings, and a dark bill with a yellow tip. The eye is what was confusing. Through our scopes, due to distance and choppy water, the eye appeared dark...but Michael's photos clearly show a pale eye surrounded by a dark smudge. These features support the ID of an immature Lesser Black-backed Gull. So, TWO of them. I can't help but wonder if the cold weather further north brought them here, but we shall likely never know.Last seen flying to the back of the lake. We hope to relocate them tomorrow morning.Here's our checklist with photos. https://ebird.org/checklist/S303605823Patty McLean and Michael Linz The Roadrunners
