Subject: Gull ID Problem - Let's see what the experts think...
Date: Nov 3 11:54:24 1997
From: "Rick Romea" - rromea at stioptronics.com


Hi Tweeters,

Gene Revelas, Molly Hukari, and I spent Saturday birding at Ocean Shores.
Armed with all the Thayer's Gull hints from last week, and having read the
sections in the recommended books (Grant: Gulls, and Kaufman: Advanced
Birding), I was able to sort out most of the gulls. We did, however, see
an adult gull at the sewage ponds near the game range that we're intrigued
by:

General size and appearance: Adult four-year gull. Smaller than the
WesternXGlausous-winged Hybrids (hybrid); head shape rounded and 'gentle'
in appearance, but not as dovelike as a Mew Gull. Forehead: Not as
sloped as the hybrids or Herrings that we saw that day.
Bill: Yellow bill with a red dot at the end. No black on the bill. Bill
smaller and more slender than hybrid, with less pronounced Gonys.
Iris: Bright ('citrine') yellow, orbital ring not visible.
Legs: pink, but not obviously brighter pink than the hybrids.
Mantle: Pale gray, about like the Ring-billed Gulls that were hanging
around, although light conditions were constantly changing. Definitely
darker than what I would imagine for Iceland Gull.
Primaries: Above: jet black 'webbing' on the edges of the primaries, with
large white mirrors near the end of each primary. Seemed to be a classic
Thayer's pattern.
Underwing: in flight, very pale underneath, presumably eliminating Herring
gull and again consistent with Thayer's Gull.
Head and Neck: Generally white with some winter gray 'smudging'
Tail: White

This bird seemed to us to be a reasonable Thayer's Gull, except for the
pale yellow eye color. Do some Thayer's Gulls have yellow eyes? (Grant
says no), or is this an intergrade with something more interesting
(Thayer's X Kumlien's Iceland ???) ? Any comments?

Rick Romea
Seattle, WA
rromea at stioptronics.com
206-523-5831 (Home)
206-827-0460 X 316 (Work)