Date/Time
2/8, Saturday - 2/9, Sunday 2:00 pm - 11:30 am

Location
Wells Reserve at Laudholm

Gull in flight. Photo by Marie Jordan, February 2010.

This two-part workshop will get you started on unraveling the mysteries of gull identification.

Actually, most gulls are not very difficult to tell apart; adults and juveniles of most species usually look very different. We’re going to give ourselves confidence with identifying the easier plumages of our common species, and then tackle the more challenging intermediate plumages. Only then will we have the toolbox to find the needles in the haystack and identify the less-common species.

Part One: Saturday, February 8, 2 to 4 pm

Using Powerpoint and book resources, we’ll start with the basics of gull identification, and then move on to more complicated aspects of identification. Most of our time will be spent looking at photos of common species, but we will then apply what we have learned to explore some identification quandaries.

Part Two: Sunday, February 9, in the morning

We will meet in Portland (Back Cove parking lot on Preble Street, opposite Hannaford) to carpool around the area and apply what we have learned. We’ll spend some time with our most common species: Herring, Ring-billed, and Great Black-backed, and then seek out Iceland and Glaucous, and perhaps we’ll find something even better! We’ll “gull” until lunchtime or so.

About the Presenter

Derek Lovitch is leading this workshop to foster appreciation and ease undue consternation about this fascinating group of birds. Derek (with his wife Jeannette) owns and operates Wild Bird Supply in Freeport. He’s the author of How to Be a Better Birder and is well respected as one of the premier birders in Maine. FMI: freeportwildbirdsupply.com/birdingtoursinMaine.asp

To Participate

We are asking for a $10 fee to participate, payable by cash or check at the Saturday session. Please register by calling Pat Moynahan at (207) 284-5487 or by signing up below.

Bookings