Shore Bird, Maine Coast, USA (1 Viewer)

R

rambler44

New member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

Can you help me ID this shore bird. It feeds alone. It runs in place burying its feet in wet sand, probably to scare up food. In flight it has black bands along the edges of the wing. The black dot behind the eye often looks like a fake eye.

 

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Stuart Darbyshire

45th generation Northern

• Jul 19, 2011

• #2

Bonaparte's Gull

 

F

fugl

Well-known member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #3

Bonaparte's Gull

 

Jan-Paul Charteris

Sussex birder and budding moth enthusiast

• Jul 20, 2011

• #4

I assume Black-headed Gull would be a rarity in the states, but for what it's worth the grey shawl and short spikey bill, along with your description of wing pattern help exclude that species which is the closest otherwise in plumage

Jan

 

R

rambler44

New member

• Jul 20, 2011

• #5

Thanks for your quick responses. Glad to finally identify it. My guide book points out that the in winter and with immatures the head is white. Matures in summer have black heads.