Another rare gull has been spotted at the Lake Dardanelle Lock and Dam, although this time on the Russellville side.

The latest find is a first-year Iceland Gull – Thayer’s (second from right in photo). This gull has first-cycle plumage, a dirty white color, and is smaller than a Herring Gull with an all black bill. It looks like a smaller Glaucous Gull, another rare-to-Arkansas gull that was recently spotted at the same location.

The Iceland Gull breeds in the Arctic and mostly winter in the Arctic waters and the Northeast, Great Lakes and West Coast regions. The gull has three subspecies (Iceland, Thayer’s and Kumlien’s) and the main difference between the three is in how dark the wingtips are in adults. Thankfully, a local birder who initially spotted the Iceland Gull met me at the lock and dam to help me find the Iceland Gull.

The Iceland Gull marked my 300th bird species spotted in Arkansas, and my 296th photo-wise.