Subject: Great Black-backed Gull
Date: Jan 23 09:47:42 2004
From: S c o t t R - mryakima at nwinfo.net


If the 'GBBG' were to be declared, 'vehicle-assisted', and thus possibly
illegally introduced and a potential pest, the bird could then be
legally captured by anyone with such a desire and kept until it acquired
adult plumage, at which time many of these questions might disappear. :)

Scott R a y
Yakima

-----Original Message-----
From: TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu
[mailto:TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Bruce Whittington
Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 8:56 AM
To: Tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: Great Black-backed Gull

We also haven't addressed the possibility that the Renton gull was
vehicle-assisted.

Seriously, I always wonder at the lengths we go to in determining the
origin of an individual bird. Once we get a few of them - like Tufted
Duck - all of a sudden, they are all legitimate, no consideration of
escapes, hybrids etc. If we start seeing a run of uncontested pure
GBBG in the future (proof that they DO sometimes wander), what will
that do to this bird? What if we have a hybrid bird that appears 100%
pure, but has the stomach shape gene (or whatever) of another species?
How many of our "valid" records are invalid on that basis? While I
respect the views and experience of some of the nay-sayers, I agree
that it is statistically far more likely that this is a pure bird than
a hybrid. But I hope it sticks around long enough for those closer to
it to see more change in plumage.

Better than a good detective novel - even without a conclusive ending.

Bruce Whittington
Victoria BC
mailto: fieldnat at pacificcoast.net