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Seabirds on North Myrtle Beach

Last post 08-31-2009, 7:00 AM by MoJoWaxSwinger. 8 replies.
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  •  08-30-2009, 1:26 PM 113622

    Seabirds on North Myrtle Beach

    Hi all,

    I visited North Myrtle Beach, SC in August.  I saw these shorebirds on the beach.  Please help me ID them.

    1.

    2. 

    3. 

    4. 

    5. 

    6. 

    7. 

    8. 

    9. 

    10. 

     

    Thanks

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  •  08-30-2009, 2:28 PM 113633 in reply to 113622

    Re: Seabirds on North Myrtle Beach

    1. willet

    2. I think sanderling

    3-4. Are these the same bird? I'm not too familiar with East Coast gulls but the bill, mantle, and legs make me want to say laughing/ring-billed hybrid. Can a pure laughing look like this?

    5-8. I think all laughing gulls

    9-10. boat-tailed grackles

  •  08-30-2009, 7:01 PM 113694 in reply to 113633

    Re: Seabirds on North Myrtle Beach

    I'm not familiar with East Coast gulls, either, but #4 looks like a Ring-Billed Gull.
    Life List: 139
    Latest: Cedar Waxwing!!!!!!!
  •  08-30-2009, 7:08 PM 113698 in reply to 113694

    Re: Seabirds on North Myrtle Beach

    The head (particularly the faint white eye-arcs) and bill shape suggest laughing. Plus, if this is a ring-billed, then it would be at least second cycle but the dark eye isn't characteristic of the latter stages. So I'll stick with ring-billed x laughing for now.
  •  08-30-2009, 7:20 PM 113710 in reply to 113698

    Re: Seabirds on North Myrtle Beach

    Yeah, you're right, Aberrant.  The leg color is wrong, too, for a Ring-Billed Gull.  Like I said, I don't know anything about East Coast gulls (even though I'm originally from Quincy, MA but we moved to CA when I was young and I wasn't bird-watching then!!!)Confused
    Life List: 139
    Latest: Cedar Waxwing!!!!!!!
  •  08-30-2009, 7:24 PM 113714 in reply to 113710

    Re: Seabirds on North Myrtle Beach

    I'm interested in what others think about this one because, regarding hybrid gulls, I'm definitely more familiar with the western x glaucous-winged that's quite common here on the West Coast.
  •  08-30-2009, 8:33 PM 113725 in reply to 113622

    Re: Seabirds on North Myrtle Beach

    I'm pretty sure it would easily pass as a second winter Ring-billed Gull in my neighborhood! (New Hampshire)

    http://10000birds.com/non-adult-ring-billed-gulls.htm shows a few plumage variations.  Note what appear to be eye arcs in some of the second year birds, as the head is lightening, and also the variability in eye and leg color.  Sibley shows (p. 214) that the first winter is pink-legged and dark-eyed, and the adult is pale-eyed and yellow-legged.  The second year birds and moving in the direction of adult coloration, but not there yet...


    rattlemouse
  •  08-30-2009, 8:57 PM 113729 in reply to 113725

    Re: Seabirds on North Myrtle Beach

     rattlemouse

     

    Thanks for the photos, they really help. I suppose it is a second winter ring-billed whose eye color is lagging. Plus, those pseudo-eye arcs threw me off. Gull ID is challenging!

  •  08-31-2009, 7:00 AM 113760 in reply to 113729

    Re: Seabirds on North Myrtle Beach

    1- Willet

    2- I think Sanderling too

    3 and 4- Ring-billed gulls

    5-8- Laughing gulls (5 looks like 1st summer, 6 is an adult molting to NB, 7 is a juvenile, and 8 is a 2nd year bird (all black bill).

    9 and 10- Boat-tailed Grackels (not sure if 9 is female or juvenile, male 10)


    Life List: 302

    Recent Lifers:

    November:
    Vesper Sparrow
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    October:
    Hudsonian Godwit








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