Laughing Gull at Lake Henry (Crowley County)

[David Dowell]

I stopped at several lakes from Lincoln to Otero Counties today.  The most interesting find was a LAUGHING GULL at Lake Henry in Crowley County.  My read is that it's a first summer gull.  It was near the ring-billed gulls, Franklin's gulls, and avocets on the west shore.

Lake Henry and Lake Meredith are both being drained and are already quite low.  Fish kill is occurring on a particularly massive scale at Lake Meredith.  It's not a pretty sight out there.  Nevertheless, both lakes are attracting large numbers of gulls and shorebirds (and, in the case of Meredith, fish eaters such as pelicans and cormorants).  Before these lakes dry up completely, I assume they will continue to have huge numbers of birds.

The appearance of yellowlegs (both kinds), willets, marbled godwits, etc., at these lakes indicates that the "fall" shorebird migration is steadily ramping up.

David Dowell

Longmont, Colorado