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The Ohio Kelp Gull

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The Ohio Kelp Gull The Ohio Cardinal, Winter 2015–16 THE OHIO KELP GULL By Ben Morrison The next morning several seasoned birders (Editor’s Note: At press time, the Ohio Bird Records Com- gathered to get a glimpse of the potential Kelp mittee had not voted on the documentation of this sighting, Gull. Our southern hemisphere visitor was ac- so the possibility remains that its identity will not be con- commodating and stayed on Springfield Lake firmed. But I consider that very unlikely.) until those gathered saw the bird. At this point the consensus was that this was indeed a Kelp Introduction Gull. Most felt that the identification was good For more than thirty years, Springfield Lake in but more evidence was needed for a rare bird so Summit has provided me a place to decompress rare in North America. from a difficult day at work. One such day was 05 Over the next few days the bird was seen early Dec 2015. On this sunny afternoon I dropped in the morning and late in the evening. Frustrated in for some therapeutic lake scoping. There was observers often would get just a fleeting glimpse nothing to see out of the ordinary, or so I thought. of the black mantled gull as it headed southeast While packing up my scope, I glanced to the east to its daytime feeding areas. The gull was seen in- end of the lake and saw a gathering of gulls on a termittently until the end of Dec, once on 10 Jan, roof. Even at a great distance I could see an ex- and then there were no reports until 06 Feb. Sev- tremely dark backed gull. I had previously seen a eral people saw the bird that day and until 11 Feb. Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) at this lo- During this period, evidence was gathered from cation, but this bird looked much darker backed. diligent photographers and even a video was tak- I set up my spotting scope up again for a better en of the gull. Also, gull experts were contacted look and saw a stocky gull with the blackest back and photos were sent for opinions. Most, if not I had ever seen. A much closer view and help all, were in agreement with the identification and would be needed with this odd gull. had very little reservation that it was a Kelp Gull. Kent Miller was my “go to” guy. It must have Much effort was also put into finding the sounded like I had lost my mind when I described daytime feeding areas. The gull seemed to al- the bird I was viewing. All the while I kept ask- ways head southeast at daylight. Perhaps it was ing, “What could this bird be?” Kent arrived in going to a landfill during the daytime hours to short order. Multiple pictures were taken and feed and then returning to the lake at night to possibilities were discussed. We were convinced, roost. Getting admittance into a landfill is not or nearly so, that we could be looking at Ohio’s an easy task. One Stark County landfill in first documented Kelp Gull (L. dominicanus). We Bolivar did allow admittance after a required realized that we needed to get as many eyes on safety course was completed, and the required this bird as possible. Diagnostic pictures of this safety equipment was purchased. On 11 Feb, bird would be needed for proof. The bird was put the Kelp Gull was found and photographed at to roost on the roof of Springfield Roller Rink. close range at this landfill. Several diagnostic pictures were passed to the gull experts of the world. They found no fault in calling this bird a Kelp Gull (Alvaro Jaramillo and Amar Ayyash, email communications with Kent Miller). The gull was never seen there again, maintaining its unpredictable status. With a cold snap on 17 Feb, the large gulls gathered in southern regions of Canton, Stark. In late afternoon, the gulls would come stream- ing from the south to this area. The Kelp Gull made a stunning appearance circling overhead in the evening sun. There was one other potential report from Springfield Lake after the Canton sighting. There are no other known sightings. Only time will tell if this is the last of the Ohio Photo by Ben Morrison Kelp Gull. 69 Vol. 39 No. 2 The Springfield Lake Kelp Gull is an adult bird. The following discussion of similar gulls will also refer to adult birds. Kelp Gulls differ from Lesser Black-backed Gulls in that the mantles of the former are no- ticeably darker. The one exception is the “Bal- tic” Lesser Black-backed Gull (L. fuscus fuscus). The “Baltic Gull” breeds in Scandinavia, and migrates to East Africa in the winter months. It has never demonstrated vagrancy to the North American continent. With all Lesser Black- backed Gulls, including the “Baltic” subspecies, there are several other differences from the Kelp Gull. The Kelp Gull is larger and stockier and has a larger and more bulbous bill. The Lesser Photo by Kent Miller Black-backed Gulls have longer and narrower wings and shorter legs. The white trailing edge Description of the upper wing is also much narrower in the The Kelp Gull is a stocky gull with an extreme- Lesser Black-backed Gull. ly black back (mantle) and wings. The head, un- Kelp Gulls differ from Great Blacked-backed derparts, and tail are clean white. The upper Gulls in that they are smaller and less bulky over- wing is black with a wide white trailing margin all. Great Blacked-backed Gulls have more ex- on the tertials, and the primaries are tipped with tensive white in the tips of the primaries and the four or five small white spots. The leading edge legs are pink. Great Blacked-backed Gulls do not has a narrow white margin. The under-wing is have as wide a white trailing margin. The wings white with dark gray primaries shading to black when settled or folded do not have the white skirt at the tips. A single white spot or mirror can be that the Kelp Gull exhibits. Though the mantle seen on both the upper and lower surfaces of the of a Great Black-backed Gull is dark, it is not as 10th primary. black as that of an adult Kelp Gull. When settled the Kelp Gull appears to have Other remote possibilities to consider would a short wings and tail making it appear heavy be the Slaty-backed Gull (L. schistisagus) and Yel- fronted. In the folded wings, the white tertial low-footed Gull (L. livens). Both of these species crescent forms a white margin or skirt around the have a lighter gray mantle than the Kelp Gull. wings. The legs are a dull yellow to gray and are The Slaty-backed has pink feet and the Yel- long, especially in the tibia portion. The iris is low-footed has bright yellow feet. The “Chan- yellow and the orbital ring is yellow to reddish. deleur” Gull, a Kelp x Herring Gull (L. smithso- The gape is yellow and the bill is large and yellow nianus) hybrid, has a lighter mantle and carries with a red spot on the mandible. The beak is some other characteristics of the Herring Gull bulbous at the tip and exhibits a deep gonydeal as well. angle. The overall size is a bit smaller than Her- The Kelp Gull is widespread and abundant ring Gull (L. argentatus) but structural differences over much of the southern hemisphere. It is make the exact size difficult to determine. found in South America, Africa, New Zealand, The photographs submitted will attest that Australia, and Antarctica as well as islands below the Springfield Lake gull meets the criteria as de- the equator (Olsen, 2004). The Kelp Gull has scribed for a Kelp Gull. Our visitor is believed to shown a trend of expansion in range and popula- be in basic (non-breeding) plumage, as pointed tion (del Hoyo, 1996). out by the experts. There is slight flecking on the Larry O’Meallie and Dan Purington saw the head and nape and the orbital ring is more yel- first of this species in the United States, on Cur- low than reddish. These characteristics suggest lew Island, Louisiana in the Chandeleur Island this gull has switched to a Northern Hemisphere chain on 08 Jul 1989. Not one, but a pair were molt pattern opposite to the species’ usual one. found and reported as Lesser Black-blacked Gulls This has been demonstrated in Southern Hemi- (Dittman, 2005). A year later on a return trip sphere birds that have been in northern latitudes the birds were relocated and confirmed as Kelp for some time. (Olsen, 2004) The life-span for Gulls. The saga continued where perhaps five a Kelp Gull has been found to be up to twenty different Kelp Gulls were found in the Chande- years which would give ample time for such a leur Islands. All but two were found to be paired transformation. (Kelp Gull). with Herring Gulls; the two paired with each 70 The Ohio Cardinal, Winter 2015–16 other. This was unique in that both species were Finding this potential Kelp Gull was wonder- far from their usual ranges. This situation brings ful, but seeing others get to see and experience to mind the Stephen Stills song, “Love the One this magnificent vagrant was even better. I would You’re With”. (Though actually this should be not be surprised if this gull is still in the vicinity the theme song for all Larus species.) The Kelp and could resurface at any time.
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