>The long dark brown to blackish brown wings did appear to be "heavy" as
>these birds walked around. I got very close (3 meters) and very long
>(30-45min) gawkings at the Des Moines Marina gulls. Dennis thinks maybe
>these are 1st year ring-billeds; and Jack below suggests 2nd year CA's.
>This decision should be simpler, but according to combined info, these are
>California/ring-billed hybrids! They are not glaucous-winged, mew,
>western, Bonaparte"s, Heermann's or Herring's. As of late afternoon,
>09-03...........

Maureen, only first-winter CAGUs and RBGUs have bubblegum-pink legs and
bill base, but CAGUs are entirely brown, while RBGUs are quite pale, gray
above and white below. Second-winter CAGUs already have greenish legs and
duller bills, as well as an entirely gray mantle with no scalloping. RBGUs
have wings just as long as those of CAGUs; they're similarly shaped. It
sounds as if you thought they were closer in size to Californias; I don't
know what to make of that.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 206-756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 206-756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416