Mew Gull Breeds in Alaska and Western Canada from tundra and inland sea marshes to sea cliffs (Howell & Jaramillo). San Diego County lies near the southern limit of the Mew Gull's winter range, so the species occurs here as an uncommon winter visitor. It is almost exclusively coastal in this area (Unitt, 2004). Declining in San Diego since 2004.
2008: One at Chula Vista San Diego 4 May - 13 July was evidently summering locally (NAB, McCaskie & Garret). One at the mouth of Penasquitos Lagoon San Diego 13 Dec 2008 (King, SDBirds).
2009: 4 at Hyperion volleyball courts Playa Del Rey Los Angels 2 Jan 2009 (Lamb, LACoBirds). One at Ballona Wetlands Los Angeles 4 Jan 2009 (Taylor, LACoBirds). One seen on pelagic trip from Port San Luis San Luis Obispo 24 Jan 2009 (Hunefeld, SoCalBirding). One at La Jolla San Diego 26 Jan 2009 (Keller, SDBirds). One on pelagic trip from Oceanside San Diego 31 Jan 2009 (Hunefeld, SoCalBirding). One in San Diego River at Robb Field San Diego 8 Feb 2009 (Murayama, SDBirds). Two seen at the San Diego harbor mouth on 5 Mar 2009 San Diego Bird Festival pelagic trip (Hunefeld, SoCalBirding) and one on 7 Mar 2009 near the Nine Mile Bank (Hunefeld, SoCalBirding).
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| Mew Gull (c) W. Terry Hunefeld |
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| Mew Gull (c) Dave Furseth |
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Thayer's Gull Breeds on steep coastal cliffs in western Arctic. Fall migrants reach central CA by late Oct; larger numbers present Dec and remain until April. Est pop 6,300 breeding pairs; one of North America's least common gulls (Howell & Jaramillo). Two at Doheny Beach Orange County 3 Nov 2007 (Williams, OrCoRBA). One on San Diego Bird Festival pelagic 10 Feb 2008 (Hunefeld, SDBirds). One 3 Dec 2008 at San Luis Rey river mouth Oceanside San Diego (Hunefeld, SDBirds). One 7 Dec 2009 at J Street Marina Chula Vista San Diego (Desgrosellier, SDBirds). One seen on pelagic trip from Port San Luis San Luis Obispo 24 Jan 2009 (Hunefeld, SoCalBirding). One on pelagic trip from Oceanside San Diego 31 Jan 2009 (Hunefeld, SoCalBirding).
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Glaucous-winged Gull Migrates south after Canada and Alaska breeding season. First year birds migrate longer distances than adults. (Howell & Jaramillo). Ranges all along San Diego's coast with no consistent site of concentration - any gull flock likely to yield one or two (Unitt, 2004). The winter of 2008 - 2009 produced an abnormally high number of GWGU, perhaps due to severe early winter in the Pacific northwest. 20 seen on pelagic trip from Port San Luis San Luis Obispo 24 Jan 2009 (Hunefeld, SoCalBirding). Ten at Oceanside harbor San Diego 25 Jan 2009 (Edwards, SDBirds). Five on pelagic trip from Oceanside San Diego 31 Jan 2009 (Hunefeld, SoCalBirding). Four at Mission Bay San Diego 4 Dec 2009 (Worley, SDBirds). Nine at Camp Surf, Imperial Beach San Diego 4 Feb 2009 (Parker, SDBirds). 12 first-year birds and one adult at Mission Bay & Mission Beach jetty 6 Feb 2009 (Adams, SDBirds).
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Glaucous Gull One seen in San Diego at Oceanside San Luis Rey river mouth 24 March 2008. Two (or three?) seen in Jan - Feb 2009. Learn more.
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| First winter Glaucous Gull - Oceanside Harbor |
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| Thayer's Gull (c) Tom Blackman |
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Black-legged Kittiwake Irregular late fall and winter visitor (November – March). Two were seen on a San Diego bird festival trip to the Los Coronados Islands on February 11, 2001. One was seen offshore San Diego on the annual San Diego Field Ornithologists New Year’s Day pelagic trip on January 1, 2003. 4 were seen in deep water on a Los Angeles Audubon day trip on April 21, 2007 (Feenstra, 22 Apr 2007). One 10 mi w of San Diego in Mex waters 9 Feb 2008 (Hunefeld, 10 Feb 2008, SDBirds). One seen and photographed 6 n.mi. offshore San Diego 22 Nov 2008. Two seen from shore at La Jolla Cove San Diego 27 Nov 2008 (Altman, SDBirds). One adult seen from shore at La Jolla Cove San Diego 26 Dec 2008 (Walens, SDBirds). 23 were seen on a pelagic charter from Port San Luis San Luis Obispo 24 Jan 2009 (Hunefeld, SoCalBirding). A 9 Feb 2009 storm with 30 mph winds brought numerous Black-legged Kittiwakes to shore from Camp Pendleton to La Jolla, with a high count of 118 at La Jolla Cove (Walens, SDBirds - see other SDBirds postings for 9 Feb 2009). One adult seen from Ja Jolla Cove 19 Feb 2009 (W. T. Hunefeld, pers obs).
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| Black-legged Kittiwake (c) Vic Murayama |
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| Black-legged Kittiwake (c) Glen Tepke |
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Sabine’s Gull Uncommon spring (mid-April to early June, most common in May) and fairly common fall migrant (mid August to mid October) offshore. (McGrath & Feenstra, 2005) Two 100 miles offshore at the Cortes Bank 16 Sep 2006.
2007: More than 1,000 off Santa Barbara 21 Apr (CalBirds). One 11 miles off San Diego 11 June (Povey, SDBirds).
2008: 21 off San Diego from Grande 9-10 May. 1 from Searcher 2-5 Jun. 5 from Grande 19-20 Jul. 3 off San Diego 23 Aug (Povey, SDBirds). 23 north of the Nine Mile Bank Encinitas 1 Sep from Searcher and 3 at Rodriguez Seamount 3 Sep. 3 off Dana Point 20 Sep. 5 off San Diego 22 Sep (Povey, SDBirds). 3 at Nine Mile Bank San Diego 16 Sep and 5 there 22 Sep (SDBirds). 5 at Nine Mile Bank from Grande day trip 4 Oct and 8 off San Diego 4-5 Oct. One 10 mi w of LaJolla San Diego 13 Oct 2008 (Povey, SDBirds). One from Grande 1-2 Nov.
2009: 4 off San Diego from Grande 9-10 May. 8 around the Channel Islands 16 May. 4 from Searcher 7-10 Sep. 21 from Grande 3 Oct. 6 from Grande 10-11 Oct. 3 from Condor Express 15 Nov.
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