DVOC Main Page > Birding the Delaware Valley Region > Birds of the Delaware Valley > Species Description

Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus

From DVOC's Delaware Valley Birds: "Lakes, rivers, bays, fields, and landfills. Increasing. The landfills near Penn Manor in Bucks County, PA have been one of the best areas in North America to locate this species. Best viewed from Florence, NJ."

Habitat:
Breeds colonially along coasts and at lakes and forages in fields and short grass.
Status:
Scarce winter visitor. Early September through mid May.
Range:
The race of Lesser Black-backed Gull that is most likely to occur in our area is L.f.graellsii, breeding in Iceland, Faroe Islands, British Isles and northern France. Wintering in southwestern Europe to West Africa.


© A & J Binns

History:
North America’s first record was on Sept 9th 1934 at Beach Haven, Ocean County, New Jersey.

Beginning in the 1980’s NJ CBC’s noted a steady increase in numbers. 53 were reported from Florence on March 20th 1997. With numbers growing every year, hundreds are now in the Delaware Valley. Each year their range seems to be expanding to the north west as they are being seen further away from Florence in good numbers, beginning with Churchville Reservoir (1998-99), Peace Valley (2000-01) to Lake Nockamixon and Green Lane (2001-02).

Additional Information:<
2 excellent articles in the ABA’s Birding magazine by Peter Post and Bob Lewis track the history of the species in North America through the mid 1990’s.
  • Vol XXVII: Number 4 August 1995 ~
    The Lesser Black-backed Gull in the Americas, Occurrence and Subspecific Identity. Part1: Taxonomy, Distribution and Migration
  • Vol XXVII: Number 5 October 1995 ~
    The Lesser Black-backed Gull in the Americas, Occurrence and Subspecific Identity. Part 2: Field Identification
BEST LOCATIONS:
New Jersey, Burlington County
  • Florence- The Delaware River
    Without a doubt the starting point for the expansion of this species beginning in the late 1990’s. A steady stream can usually be seen floating along the river, when not feeding on the dump.

Pennsylvania, Bucks County

Churchville Reservoir, Churchville
There are 2 areas worth checking. There is generally a core group of about 20 with numbers as high as the upper 100’s. Best early in the morning or later in the afternoon, when they seem to congregate here before possibly heading towards Florence

    • Area #1
      Directions: From the South–
      take Bustleton Pike to Bristol Road (Churchville Inn). Proceed through the traffic light, you are now on Churchville Lane. You will cross the causeway over the reservoir and continue to the parking lot for Churchville Nature Center on your left. Park here and walk back to the causeway (be very careful this is a busy road) and scan both sides of the reservoir.

      From the North–
      head south on Bristol Road to Churchville Lane. Turn left and follow directions as above.

      From Newtown–
      Take 332 West towards Richboro. At the traffic light at the Fleuhr Funeral home, turn left onto Holland Road. Continue south, crossing the railroad tracks and turn right on Churchville Lane. The nature center car park will be on your right before reaching the reservoir.

    • Area #2
      The ponds on Elm Ave. This is the road that runs parallel with Churchville Lane, to the north. Coming south on Holland Road from Newtown, turn left onto Elm Ave, just before the railroad tracks and continue to the ponds, which are on the right. There is a dirt parking area on the left side.

      Coming from the nature center, continue east to Holland Road, and turn left, cross the railroad tracks, and take an immediate left on Elm Ave. and continue to the ponds, which are on the right. There is a dirt parking area on the left side.

  • Holland Junior High School, Richboro
    This seems to be a staging and feeding area early in the morning and later in the day. Keep in mind these are playing fields and in particular during the weekends in the fall they are start filling up with people from about 8AM on.

    • Directions: From Newtown<-
      Take 332 West towards Richboro. At the traffic light at the Fluehr Funeral home, turn left onto Holland Road. Continue south to the first right, Upper Holland Road. Continue west, passed Richboro Elementary School (sometimes the gulls are on the playing fields behind the school) on your right to Richboro Junior High School on your left. Turn left at the second entrance and scan the playing fields.

      From Bustleton Pike–
      head north towards Richboro, and turn right onto Upper Holland Road. There is a Fox Chase Bank on the corner. The school’s playing fields will be on your right, just after the bank and opposite the library.

  • Peace Valley Park, Doylestown
    Best seen on Lake Galena at Sailor’s Point. Look or walk to your right (south west) towards the dam.

    • Directions:
      From Rte 313 in Doylestown, head north on 313 towards Dublin, and turn left onto New Galena Road. Continue west to the entrance of the park on the left. Follow the road around to the second stop sign (Myers Road), and turn left. The parking lot is in front of you at the waters edge.

  • Van Sciver Lake, Tullytown
    Directions: From Exit 30 of the PA Turnpike, head north on Rte 13 to the first Light. Turn right onto Green Lane and proceed to the riverfront. Here turn left onto Radcliffe Ave and continue north out of Bristol. This road turns into Main Street in Tullytown and then into Bordentown Road, which cuts through Van Sciver Lake. Find a spot to pull over to scan the lake. Keep in mind this property belongs to the Penn-Warner club, and therefore has no trespassing signs posted. At the end of the lake, take your first right onto Dyke Road and scan from the causeway just to your south. Be carefully of industrial traffic along here.