For the impatient the essence of this post is a question: do Western Gulls
sometimes have yellow eyes?

Yesterday on the beach at the foot of the Edmonds fishing pier I saw what
I at first took to be a Herring Gull based on yellow eyes, pink legs, and
black wingtips. This was an adult bird. I didn't think that much about
it at the time but I ended up thinking about it on and off all afternoon
and eventually decided it was a Western Gull for the following reasons:
1) The mantle was a bit too dark for Herring though a little light for
Western and when it flew off (it was standing at first) the mantle/wingtip
contrast was less than I would expect in a Herring Gull
2) The eyes were yellow but not the very pale yellow I associate with
Herring Gulls. They were more pale honey colored. I don't remember ever
noting this color on a Western Gull. I thought they had dark eyes but I
couldn't find an explicit description of eye color for Western Gulls last
night.
3) The head was immaculate white. I believe a Herring Gull would be in
winter plumage by now and would have at least some obvious brown streaking
or spotting on the head.
4) I think a Herring Gull should have had more extensive white mirrors in
the wingtips.

Consequently I think this was a Western Gull but I'm still bothered by the
yellow eye, and a little by the relatively light mantle. Also I did not
notice a remarkably large bill. Any thoughts? Are there any other
possibilities I haven't even considered?

Also of interest was some kind of parrot relative flying erratically over
I-5 in North Seattle on my way home last night. It was mostly white or
perhaps cream colored. My best guess is a cockatiel. My first thought
was Mourning Dove but as I got closer (It almost ran into the car in front
of me) it was clearly an exotic escapee.


Jim Elder (jime at eskimo.com)
SEA, Inc.
7030 220th St SW
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043