SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRDS PHOTO GALLERY

Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists' Club         Southeastern Caribbean Bird Alert         Trinidad and Tobago Rare Bird Committee

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Franklin's Gull (Larus pipixcan)

closeup of photo below

First-winter immature at San Fernando, Trinidad, 9 December 2000. Photo © by Floyd Hayes. Second record for T&T. Note the slightly smaller size, more rounded head, shorter bill, more contrasting half-hood and clean white sides compared with a first-winter Laughing Gull (L. atricilla).This species was first recorded for Trinidad at Port of Spain on 5 January 1999, when Douglas McNair and Floyd Hayes found an immature; up to two immatures and an adult were subsequently seen at Waterloo until 20 March 1999 (TTRBC 1999-4). The second record was of an immature found at Waterloo by Graham White on 3 December 2000; it was seen the following day and presumably this bird plus another immature were seen repeatedly at San Fernando from 9 December 2000 to 22 April 2001.

close-up of photo below

Alternate plumaged adult moulting into basic plumage at San Fernando, Trinidad, 10 November 2001. Photo © by Floyd Hayes. Third record for T&T. Note the slightly smaller size, shorter bill, rounder head, darker hood, broader white eye crescents, shorter legs and broader white tips to primaries compared with Laughing Gulls.