Okay, I should opine on the Black-headed Gull that I reported yesterday from Carter Lake. This is a very rare bird in Colorado as well as most anywhere else in North America except for Newfoundland where I would see 20 plus a day while I was filming there. Seen in flight from a distance initially about 170 yards then flying away and landing at least 350 yards away. The diagnostic view was of the dark primaries of the underwing seen for perhaps 2 sec just before it landed in the water. It swam next to a Great Black-backed Gull which was a good relative size comparison, but way to far away to see the red bill. I’d just as soon forget about it…..why have a less than steller sighting on day one of a bird I could conceivably miss the rest of the year…….except that 2 other birders noted the dark primaries of the underwing as well, one of which is Alex Brown a Brit, experienced with Black-headed Gull. Hopefully it will be relocated. Once gulls come into Colorado for the winter they follow habitual patterns.
