A basic-plumaged adult Slaty-backed Gull was in a large mixed gull flock on
the E side of 68th Ave. just N of its intersection with 60th Ave. in Delta;
this area is about 1 km to the E of the Hwy 99--Hwy 17 interchange.

This bird is conspicously 'hooded' by grey-brown streaking on the head and
upper breast. The dark eye-smudge and the pale underwing primary pattern
are conspicuous. Its gestalt was more of a large, dark-mantled Herring Gull
than a Western or Western X Glaucous-winged Gull hybrid.

Also present were at least 2 ad 'occidentalis' Western Gulls, 7 Western X
Glaucous-winged hybrids, a Basic 1 Western or hybrid gull, at least 15
Thayer's and at least 5 Herring Gulls, and 3 Basic 1 Mew Gulls in the flock
of approximately 3,500 Glaucous-winged Gulls.

In a smaller flock on the S side of 60th Ave. just W of 68th St., was a
very large bulky pale gull tentatively sequenced as Basic 3 plumage with a
massive-looking flesh-yellow bill that had a distinct black area at or near
the tip, a white head with some fine streaks, black primary tips above and
below with two mirrors (one large one on the longest primary, a smaller
mirror on the next), pale cream-grey mantle and whiter cream-grey
underparts. Its legs were hidden in tall grass, and distance precluded
seeing eye-color. Candidate for an ID: Glaucous X Herring hybrid.

Conditions: moderate rain, heavy at times with good visibility to 300
meters; 8 C.; wind E 10 km/h; heavy overcast with some lightening to SW and
W as the cold front approached. Also present was Karen Irving, who supplied
Da Wheelz.

Cheers.

Michael Price "Are you being brilliant or are you going
berserk? Vancouver BC Canada At first, sometimes, it may be hard
to tell." mprice at mindlink.net -New York
Times headline

--
Michael Price "Are you being brilliant or are you going
berserk? Vancouver BC Canada At first, sometimes, it may be hard to
tell." mprice at mindlink.net -New York Times
headline