Gulls Galore in San Luis valley

[mvjo...@gmail.com]

Exciting day today on this calm sunny day in the San Luis valley. Spent some serious time with camera and scope working on gulls at Smith Reservoir and San Luis lake. It was worth the effort as I saw some species we don't see very often.

A juvenile Sabine's Gull was easily seen walking on the west shoreline. This is a totally different bird than the adult I reported a week ago. The adult was nowhere to be found but this juvenile was very cooperative and I was able to capture some images as well  (soon to be on my website under recent additions....https://johnrawinski.zenfolio.com/). Also very available were two Baird's Sandpipers and 1 Semi-palmated Sandpiper again on the west shore. All of this in Costilla County. Finally, we don't often get Herring Gull but one adult was present among the Ring-billeds.  

At San Luis lake, a dark-mantled gull caught my attention from quite some distance. Eventually I got within 40 yards of an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull resting on a sandbar (Alamosa County). It was hanging out on the west side of the lake. We get this species on rare occasions and less than 5 records for our Valley.

I like to run the photos by my wife Lisa and she confirmed them as well.

Probably my best gull day ever in the SLV.

John Rawinski

Monte Vista, CO