Subject: [Tweeters] Request for ID tips concerning Thayer's Gulls
Date: Oct 25 20:34:32 2005
From: Bob Norton - norton36 at olypen.com


Mark et al,
Best places to see numbers: log booms near the old Daishowa Plant on
Ediz Hook (now Nissan) and at the mouth of the Elwha from the Elwha Dike.
Directions to both in Opperman et al, Birders Guide to WA.
How to tell: Easiest way to tell. Compare with nearby gulls. If you are
lucky you will have some hybrid red-leggeds around (Olympics), they are much
smaller, about the size of Californias. They have a much less heavy bill and
frequently have more bubble gum pink legs. However frequently they gather
by themselves but there is usually at least one immature Olympic around to
compare with. Without a size comparison they are hard. Look for the obvious
smaller bill with hardly any gonydeal angle. The females have a gentle dove
like head (as a matter of fact, for years the only ones found away from the
northwest were females and they were the only ones described at that time --
we have come a long way). Start out with the close ones like at the Elwha or
on the near logs in Port Angeles Harbor. When Steve Mlodinow visits Ediz
Hook he comes up with astounding numbers. I am practicing but as we go
further out I realize I am guessing. A surprising percent can have lightish
eyes but never as bright yellow as Herring or Ring-billeds.
I find that teaching people to pick them out can be dififcult but if I
can keep them working on the problem they come around. Almost all that I see
up here are adults for some strange reason.
Bob Norton
norton36 at olypen.com
Joyce (near Port Angeles), WA
----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Vernon
To: Tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 4:55 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] Request for ID tips concerning Thayer's Gulls


Thayer's Gulls are one of those birds that I am not 100% sure I am getting
right. I would like to ask the more experienced birders on this list for
Thayers Gull ID tips and interesting past sightings of these Gulls, they may
have had. Where are some of the best places to see them?

-Mark Vernon
Renton, WA


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