Bruce and Tweeters:

Since Bruce issued an query of sorts I though I'd chime in too. I looked at
Charlie's photos on Surfbirds and was quite impressed, and although the tail
shot did not come through, everything else was a slam-dunk for BT Gull.

About the only bird that crossed my mind, when the issue of the tail band
came up, was Kamchatka Mew. This is a huskier bird than the our Mew, can
look quite dark-mantled, often has a dark outer 1/3 of the bill as well, and
has a build and size close to Black-tailed. Many times while birding in
Kamchatka, seeing an incomplete but prominent tail band, I would think I had
a extralimital Black-tailed Gull, only to have it quickly turn into
Kamchatka Mew (I did finally get one BT in Petro; southward, BT Gull is the
most common gull about the southern Russian Far East mainland in summertime
especially).

The adult BT Gull has a not-quite-complete subterminal tailband, although
normally it is pretty distinct, but is most crisp in breeding plumage. I
think other observers will ultimately find a more prominent tail band,
although owing to molt it may well appear less uniform than our present
field guides suggest. Charlie's gull has so many other features that fit BT
Gull and not Kamchatka Mew: eye ring, pale iris, red-tipped bill and the
others mentioned by Bruce. Well done Charlie!

Anyway, that's my two cents. I also find myself contemplating how the bird
arrived; how about riding in the rigging on a Korean tramper coming into
Portland, or just following the boat over?

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com

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