Subject: Great Black-backed Gull
Date: Jan 20 20:37:34 2004
From: Jim Flynn - buteoreg at comcast.net


Hi Phillip and all,

Interesting discussion - seems we have some entrenched opinions... I
shot a short segment of video of the bird on Sunday. Unfortunately its
on Mini DV tape and I don't have a way to put it into a file or up on a
webpage. I will be sending a copy to the WA rare birds committee though.

Regarding the body shape, which Phillip says is "flatter-bodied" for Gr.
BB Gull than the Renton bird, I could see in the video that this gull
does have a remarkably wide breast and belly when viewed with the bird
facing towards you (with the tail end pointed away, that is). The belly
is so wide it DOES give the appearance of being "flat-bodied". If this
was a boat and not a bird you would say she's "wide in the beam".

It would be helpful to the discussion if descriptions were a bit more
clearly worded. What is meant by the phrase "Many GBBG show a broken
forehead..."? Makes me think they are prone to collision with airplanes
- something the pyrotechnics crew at Renton Airport would be distressed
to hear.

Its fun to see and hear of so many birders visiting this spot where I
learned to ID so many of my freshwater birds. Wonder how many rare gulls
I overlooked way back when? Hmm.

good birding,

Jim Flynn
buteoreg at comcast.net
Seattle, WA