Glaucous Gull (click to see a larger version)

A first cycle Glaucous Gull has been hanging around Montrose Beach for a couple days. Thayer’s and Lesser Black-backed Gulls have also been seen at Montrose recently. These gulls are attracted to the dead salmon that wash up on the beach. Glaucous Gulls breed in the high arctic all around the world. They are rare but regular winter visitors to Illinois.