Sunday 17 April 2016

(Another) Adult Little Gull

It was April 22 last year when I saw my first Little Gull for Newfoundland. It was totally unexpected. There had been no previous April records, and what's more, it was an adult - one of very few previous adults in the province. That bird was actively migrating - not missing a beat on its journey North. Who knows where it came from or where it was going. It could have very well been a Little Gull from the European population.

Today I found another adult Little Gull at Witless Bay. This one didn't quite have a full dark head as in last years, but it was getting there.

Perhaps these two late April records are merely a coincidence or maybe in 20 years we'll realize they were the start of a pattern of small numbers of Little Gulls migrating through the island. Only way to know is to keep searching!


Those dark underwings can be seen from a mile away! Always a thrill to watch a Little Gull in flight.




Todays bird was associating with a bunch of bathing Black-legged Kittiwakes. Hopefully it sticks around and others get to see it.


Some interesting transatlantic winds are shaping up over the next few days. Fingers are crossed for some european flavour over the next while :)