American Herring Gull (smithsonianus)

(last update: October 30, 2015)

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) adult K68 May 2011, February & March 2012 & September 2013, Hampton Beach, NH.

See website: The Gulls Of Appledore

Herring Gull green K68 and Fed. band #- 1767-20204 was banded as an adult on May 20 2011 at Appledore, Bartel's Trail.

K68 was banded as an adult in May 2011 and nested along a trail in the brush east of Bartels Hall. In fact, because his nest was in the brush, we couldn’t use the traps to catch him so I chased him through the brush/thorns to catch him. What made K68 special was an odd mass protruding from his bill. Tufts Veterinarian Dr. Sarah Courchesne, who banded K68, explains more: "I suspect the mass was actually an inflammatory lesion from an old trauma. Maybe a fish hook or some such. In any case, it actually looks slightly smaller than it did back in May. Have to see how it looks this coming season!"

When we banded K68, we noticed a mass protruding from its bill. It appears to have gotten smaller since we banded it.

below: American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) adult K68 September 13 2013, Hampton Beach, NH. Picture: Jon Worthen.

Moult stage: P6 / P9.

below: American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) adult K68 March 05 2012, Hampton Beach, NH. Picture: Keith Mueller.

below: with K65 in the background.

below: American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) adult K68 February 04 2012, Hampton Beach, NH. Picture: Jon Worthen.

below: American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) adult K68 May 23 2011, Hampton Beach, NH. Picture: Keith Mueller.