#ABArare - Black-tailed Gull - Alaska - UPDATED

On Adak Island in the central Aleutians, Isaac Helmericks found a Black-tailed Gull (Code 4) on July 7. The gull was at Clam Lagoon, one of the best places on the island to find vagrants.

photo by Isaac Helmericks

Black-tailed Gull is an east Asian species prone to vagrancy. Given Alaska's proximity to Asia, the gull's occurrence in Alaska isn't all that surprising (it's regarded as casual in the state), but it's also been found in a number of states and provinces throughout the US and Canada. In just the past several years, it's been seen in Newfoundland, Ohio, California, and Washington state.

Adak is located over 1,000 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. It's the southernmost city in Alaska and the westernmost municipality in the United States. Alaska Airlines flies to the island twice weekly, with flights on Sundays and Thursdays.

UPDATE: The gull was still present at Clam Lagoon on July 10.