Subject: [Tweeters] Re: Iceland Gull at Kent continues 1-30-06
Date: Jan 31 10:23:00 2006
From: Phillip Pickering - philliplc at harborside.com


http://www.pbase.com/godwit/gull_photos/

No disrespect meant to anyone on Tweeters, but (assuming this is
the bird in question) it is almost certainly a small Glaucous, which can
range as small as a mid-size Herring, if not smaller. The bill is almost
the same size as the Glaucous-winged/Western - much too massive to
be safe for "Iceland", the legs are virtually as thick and almost as long,
the primary projection isn't exceptionally long, the comparative bulk
is only slightly less, and most critically the proportional size of the
eye, eye position in the face, and head shape as apparent in all
the photos all strongly suggest Glaucous over Iceland. Note the
"fierce" look it has in several of the images - typical of Glaucous
and quite atypical of Iceland in any posture.

Cheers,

Phil Pickering
Lincoln City, Oregon
philliplc at harborside.com