Crystal Lake (Gardner) 11/28

I stopped by Crystal Lake this evening to check numbers of roosting gulls. The totals were well off from last month's high count on October 20th. A compartive between that peak and tonight's:

Species..............................10/20/2009...... 11/28/2009
Ring-billed Gull....................125...................... 62
Herring Gull..........................650..................... 24
Great Black-backed Gull......95...................... 10

There were also 2 wing tagged Ring-billed Gulls present, an adult #353 and a 2nd year bird with an obscurred tag (on the right wing) that I was unable to read. This bird was missing the tag on its left wing, I did get good looks at both sides of the bird. Yesterday, I saw an adult Ring-billed Gull on the athletic field of Monty Tech High School, in Westminster, sporting tag# 354. I will post capture information of these tagged birds, once I hear back from the DCR folks running the project.

#353 an adult Ring-billed with Adult Herring Gull in front, 2nd yr Herring Gull to back right and Ad. Ringer in front right.

Other species present included Black Duck 3, Mallard 3 , Mallard X Black Duck hybrid 1, Common Goldeneye 8 and Common Merganser 7.

Information on the above Gull #353, and #354 I had seen at Monty Tech on Friday 11/27 from K. MacKenzie:

Tom,
Thanks again for the sighting and photo.
Here is some specific information on A353:
Captured 11/18/09 at the Upper Blackstone Water Treatment Facility, Millbury, MA
Map of capture sight: 42.21231, - 71.78614
Captured using a rocket net baited with crackers
Adult ring-billed gull
Florescent orange wing-tags: A353
federal band: 0994-03461
released on site

Sightings:
This is the first sighting of this gull. Thanks.

And info on R-B Gull #354

Here is some specific information on A354:
Captured 11/18/09 at the Upper Blackstone Water Treatment Facility, Millbury, MA
Map of capture sight: 42.21231, - 71.78614
Captured using a rocket net baited with crackers
Sub-adult ring-billed gull
Florescent orange wing-tags: A354
federal band: 0994-03463
released on site
Sightings:
This is the first sighting of this gull. Thanks.