Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of California Gull at Babcock Access at Coralville Reservoir, 1990
|
Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes
|
Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc
|
1990-10-27
|
1993-07-17
|
Rare birds documentation form
|
Records Committee review for a California Gull at Babcock Access at Coralville Reservoir in Johnson County, IA on October 27, 1990. Includes a record review document with votes, two articles in Iowa Bird Life, and five documentation forms submitted to the committee.
|
Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-
|
California Gull
|
Babcock Access
|
Babcock Access, Coralville Reservoir, Johnson County, Iowa
|
shallow, open area of reservoir
|
The documentation form by Thomas H. Kent is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Jim Fuller, Randy Pinkston, Carol Thompson, and Carl J. Bendorf were submitted later. Other observers include Timothy Dwyer, John Cordell, James Huntington, Cal Knight, Bernie Knight, and Rick Hollis. | Elimination of similar species: First-year Ring-billed Gulls were all in first winter plumage with gray mantle and were much lighter overall. The only other species considered is juvenile Herring Gull. The size is small for Herring Gull. The elongated appearance and short legs fit California Gull. Most young Herrings that I see in early fall have mostly dark bills that are larger than that of this bird. The double inner wing bar and lighter tertial tips fit California Gull. The overall relatively uniform and relatively light brown color without windows in the inner primaries also made this bird look different from Herring Gull. | The original documentation form event lasted from 15:15:00/16:55:00 on October 27, 1990 and from 19:10:00/22:30:00 and 15:00:00/16:00:00 on October 28, 1990.
|
Iowa Ornithologists' Union | MS 166
|
11
|
1
|
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of California Gull at Carter Lake, 1993
|
Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes Photographs
|
Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc
|
1993-11-21
|
1995-07-08
|
Rare birds documentation form
|
Records Committee review for a California Gull at Carter Lake in Pottawattamie County, IA on November 21, 1993. Includes a record review document with votes, a photograph, an article in Iowa Bird Life, and three documentation forms submitted to the committee.
|
Bray, Tanya
|
California Gull
|
Carter Lake
|
Carter Lake, Pottawattamie County
|
|
The documentation form by Tanya Bray forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Loren and Babs Padelford, and Ross Silcock were submitted. Other observers include Jerry Toll and B.J. Rose. | Elimination of similar species: Both Ring-billed and Herring Gulls are eliminated by bill coloration, size, slightly darker mantle, and eye color. Western, Lesser-black backed would be darker mantled, different bill coloration. | The original documentation form event lasted from 10:30:00/10:58:00.
|
Iowa Ornithologists' Union | MS 166
|
11
|
1
|
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of California Gull at Saylorville Dam, 1993
|
Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes
|
Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc
|
1993-12-06
|
1995-07-08
|
Rare birds documentation form
|
Records Committee review for a California Gull at Saylorville Dam in Polk County, IA on December 6, 1993. Includes a record review document with votes, an article in Iowa Bird Life, and two documentation forms submitted to the committee.
|
Pinkston, Randall, 1956-
|
California Gull
|
Saylorville Dam
|
Saylorville Reservoir dam, Polk County, Iowa
|
|
The documentation form by Randy Pinkston is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Another documentation form by Stephen J. Dinsmore was submitted later. Another observer includes Susan Grove. | Elimination of similar species: I am uncomfortable committing to California Gull given the brief and distant view I had, and my limited past experience with the species. My fear is that this was just a small Herring Gull. Herring can be quite variable in overall size, bill size, and in terms of color and shade of the first-winter plumage. Supposedly 10-15% of first-winter Herrings' can have a "dipped-in-ink" bill in the fall (Harrison 1983 or Grant 1986?). | The original documentation form event lasted from 12:30:00/15:30:00.
|
Iowa Ornithologists' Union | MS 166
|
11
|
1
|
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of California Gull at Runnells Wildlife Area, 1995
|
Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes Photographs
|
Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc
|
1995-09-03
|
2000-11-20
|
Rare birds documentation form
|
Records Committee review for a California Gull at Runnells Wildlife Area in Marion County, IA on September 3, 1995. Includes a record review document with votes, two photographs, an article in Iowa Bird Life, and four documentation forms submitted to the committee.
|
Dinsmore, Stephen J.
|
California Gull
|
Red Rock Wildlife Area
|
1 mi e. of Swan, Marion Co. (Runnells W.A.)
|
pool of shallow water
|
The documentation form by Steve Dinsmore is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Jim Sinclair, Thomas H. Kent, and Jim Fuller were submitted later. | Elimination of similar species: Ring-billed and Herring gulls are the two most likely species of confusion. Ring-billed Gull never shows this much brown in any plumage, has a dark tail band in immature plumages, has a different wing pattern, and is structurally different from California Gull. Herring Gull is more similar in first-basic plumage, but always shows a pale window on the inner primaries, lacks the double dark bar effect in the innerwing, is larger, and very rarely shows a strongly bicolored bill. | The original documentation form event lasted from 10:55:00/12:24:00.
|
Iowa Ornithologists' Union | MS 166
|
11
|
1
|
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of California Gull at Mini-Wakan State Park, 1996
|
Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes
|
Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc
|
1996-09-06
|
2000-11-22
|
Rare birds documentation form
|
Records Committee review for a California Gull at Mini-Wakan State Park in Dickinson County, IA on September 6, 1996. Includes a record review document with votes, an article in Iowa Bird Life, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.
|
Bangma, Jim Johnson, Ann
|
California Gull
|
Mini Wakan State Park
|
Spirit Lake, north end, Dickinson Co., IA
|
Lakeshore
|
The documentation form by Jim Bangma and Ann Johnson is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. | Elimination of similar species: Ring-billed is ruled out by the solid gray mantle combined with the extensive molt of the flight feathers. Ring-bills and similar 3 year gulls obtain the gray mantle during a post-juvenal molt. Flight feathers are not molted at this time. Flight feathers are molted after one year, at which time the body of a Ring-bill would be much whiter. Also, the mantle was a much darker shade of gray than any Ring-bill present. Additionally, Ring-billed Gull's bill is proportionally smaller and thinner, with more curve. Herring Gull would be larger. The mantle of a Herring Gull would be paler gray, nearly the same shade as that of the Ring-bills. The bill would be proportionally heavier with a more marked gonydeal angle. Herring Gulls may show a black tipped bill, but the black normally blends into the pink of the base or runs in along the cutting edges of the bill. The bill and legs would be brighter pink. Other similarly sized extralimitals can be ruled out by the mantle color as well as bill pattern and shape. A striking feature of this bird was its leg length. In an effort to better understand this, Bangma paid a visit to the American Museum of Natural History and examined specimens of Herring, Ring-billed and California Gulls. Measurements were made of a representative selection of specimens. The following chart shows the results. [Chart] While there is some overlap between these species, it is interesting to note that the breaking point between California Gull and the other two is very near the ratio of 1.5. While not diagnostic by itself, the length of this bird's tarsus relative to the culmen as estimated by us in the field is indicative of California Gull. | The original documentation form event lasted from 11:00:00/11:40:00.
|
Iowa Ornithologists' Union | MS 166
|
11
|
1
|
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of California Gull at Lost Island Lake, 1996
|
Administrative records Field notes
|
Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc
|
1996-11-03
|
2000-11-22
|
Rare birds documentation form
|
Records Committee review for a California Gull at Lost Island Lake in Palo Alto County, IA on November 3, 1996. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.
|
Schoenewe, Lee A.
|
California Gull
|
Lost Island Lake
|
N. Shore of Lost Island Lake, Palo Alto, Co.
|
Shoreline
|
The documentation form by Lee A. Schoenewe is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. | Elimination of similar species: Herring Gull - bill, eye and leg color Ring-billed Gull - Bill size, tail + wingtips in flight | The original documentation form event lasted from 10:35:00/10:55:00.
|
Iowa Ornithologists' Union | MS 166
|
11
|
1
|
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of California Gull at Gull Point at West Okoboji Lake, 1997
|
Administrative records Correspondence Field notes
|
Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc
|
1997-09-07
|
2000-11-24
|
Rare birds documentation form
|
Records Committee review of a California Gull at Gull Point at West Okoboji Lake in Dickinson County, IA on September 7, 1997. Includes a record review document with votes, correspondence from Ken Brock to Thomas Kent, and two copies of a documentation form submitted to the committee.
|
Schoenewe, Lee A.
|
California Gull
|
Gull Point
|
Gull Point, West Lake Okoboji, Dickinson Co.
|
Rocky point on natural lake
|
|
Iowa Ornithologists' Union | MS 166
|
11
|
1
|
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of California Gull at Cherry Glen Recreation Area at Saylorville Reservoir, 1997
|
Administrative records Field notes
|
Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc
|
1997-12-09
|
2000-11-24
|
Rare birds documentation form
|
Records Committee review for a California Gull at Cherry Glen Recreation Area at Saylorville Reservoir in Polk County, IA on December 9, 1997. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.
|
Overton, Michael D.
|
California Gull
|
Cherry Glen Recreation Area
|
Polk co., Saylorville Reservoir, Cherry Glen Recreation Area
|
On ice along lakeshore of large manmade lake in mixed hardwood forest agricultural cropland.
|
The documentation form by Michael D. Overton is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Eugene Armstrong and Eloise Armstrong. | Elimination of similar species: Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull: Immatures of both species were present so direct comparisons were possible. Bill color, shape, and size reletive [sic] to head. Tail and rump color. Wing color and pattern especially mantle, greater coverts, and secondaries. | The original documentation form event lasted from 10:20:00/10:55:00.
|
Iowa Ornithologists' Union | MS 166
|
11
|
1
|