Glaucous Gull in St. Louis County
2014-10-16

Uncommon in St. Louis County in the Fall season

First-cycle Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) at the Superior Entry, 16 October 2014. This image was taken from the Wisconsin side of the Superior Entry on a dreary, overcast day in the late afternoon, just before the bird flew across the Entry and continued on towards Canal Park. To the best of my knowledge, this represents the third earliest arrival date for Minnesota following one in St. Louis County, 7-8 October 1984, and one in Lake County, 15 October 2000. This species has also been recorded along the North Shore as early as 18 October (1998 and 2004), but it's normally not expected before late October and sometimes none arrive until November. There is just one October date for the southern half of the state (Hennepin County, 29 October 1999).

Peder H. Svingen