Imagine what would have happened if there had been an unequivocal
SLATY-BACKED GULL at the Hammond Boat Basin? (The bird I've been
working on over the past several days is turning out to be very
equivocal). But because I hate confrontation (and I do hate
confrontation) and I don't really enjoy having my observations
picked apart (and who does?) and I have no way of gauging the
qualifications of some of the critics (between tweeter and OBOL
there's well over 1000 potential critics).

Imagine that I'd decided to keep quiet?

The bird I've been sharing has wing markings which strongly
suggest a Slaty-backed Gull, head markings that strongly suggest
a Slaty-backed Gull, but I've never seen a Slaty-backed Gull...
Strongly suggest is an interpretive claim not an identification.
There are things about Ruby-crowned Kinglet that strongly
suggest Hutton's Vireo and things about Hutton's Vireo that
strong suggest Western Flycatcher.

Opinion regarding this gull (most contributed off-list and mostly
constructive and polite) is that the suggestion of Slaty-Backed
Gull characters is not sufficient. Back-crosses or unfamiliar
hybrids cannot be ruled out. My current pet hypothesis is
Slaty-backed x Glaucous-winged, but I'm willing to be talked
out of it.

Imagine what I would have robbed myself of had I decided to
forego the critiques. Imagine what I would have robbed other
of (especially if it had been universally accepted?)

I am going to continue to study this bird and others and I hope
that one or two folks actually venture to Hammond to look at this
bird _in situ_ rather than depend on the quirks of video
technology and on-line transmission.

I suspect Western back-cross is a convenient catch-all for
ugly gulls which will probably fall out of favor as our knowledge
of gull distributions (and indiscretions) becomes more fine tuned
and adequate documentation of this beast may become useful.

And as always, if you find something in my patch, call me I will
check it out help you solidify the ID or help steer you in another
direction.

--
Mike Patterson Alas, to wear the mantle of Galileo,
Astoria, OR it is not enough to be persecuted
celata at pacifier.com by an unkind establishment,
you must also be right.
---Robert Park
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html