Subject: [Tweeters] Re: Discovery Park Glaucous Gull?
Date: May 2 01:06:25 2011
From: Michael Price - loblollyboy at gmail.com


Hey Jon

For sure it's a young Glaucous Gull *Larus hyperboreus*. We get more of
these in Vancouver BC where the numbers seem to increase in the northward
migration.

As to exact age, well, because unpigmented feathers sun-bleach the
quickest, 1st and 2nd Winter birds look pretty much alike by the end of the
winter. So look at the bill. If the tip is all-black or has a small
introductory pale area, chances are it's a First Winter bird. If, on a
spring all-white immature, there's a significant pale tip and the black is
more of a band further back from the tip, chances are it's Second Winter.

>From the very small amount of pale tip, I'd guess yours to be a First Winter
Glaucous.

best wishes

Michael Price
Vancouver BC Canada
loblollyboy at gmail.com

Every answer deepens the mystery.
- E.O. Wilson
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