It appears that the excerpt by Nick Mrvelj wasn't included on my response.
Hopefully it goes through now:
"Interesting gull. At first glance, I thought this was a good candidate for
a GWGU x GLGU. However, after a deeper dive, I feel that Emily may be on to
something in regard to this individual having a pigment issue. I agree that
the hue of the mantle and primaries just seems a bit off for a Seward Gull;
the former a bit too pale and oddly mottled and the latter a weird pale,
brownish hue (which translates to me as primaries that should look blackish
but have a melanin deficiency). The size and shape of the bill seems good
for an Olympic Gull (or even a Western Gull or GWGU). I wonder if the iris
has a similar pigment issue, which is why its so pale? The coloration of
other bare parts, like the legs and bill, seem normal."
- Alex Sowers
On Mon, Jan 18, 2021 at 7:17 PM Northwest birding e-mail <
tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:
>
Hey tweets,
>
>
It seems like this bird has been around for quite some time now and at
>
this point has been photographed quite a bit. I've seen this bird
>
consistently identified to multiple species/hybrids (like Glaucous,
>
Glaucous x Herring, Kumlien's Iceland, and Glaucous-winged x Glaucous) and
>
yet there has never appeared to be a really solid ID on this bird. The
>
general consensus amongst reviewers, or at least the one who confirmed it,
>
seems to be that this is Glaucous-winged x Glaucous Gull (hybrid). However,
>
many other experts believe that this is just a Glaucous-winged with pigment
>
issues and not a Glaucous-winged with any other species in it (except maybe
>
Western just because).
>
>
I am no gull expert myself and don't have any experience with
>
Glaucous-winged x Glaucous, but i'd have to say that this is likely just a
>
Glaucous-winged with pigment issues. The structure is pretty typical for a
>
Glaucous-winged/Western type bird (not that that's a big deal) and the
>
weird brown tones and faint mottling all point towards a bird with pigment
>
issues.
>
>
Here's a better explanation by Nick Mrvelj:
>
>
"Interesting gull. At first glance, I thought this was a good candidate
>
for a GWGU x GLGU. However, after a deeper dive, I feel that Emily may be
>
on to something in regard to this individual having a pigment issue. I
>
agree that the hue of the mantle and primaries just seems a bit off for a
>
Seward Gull; the former a bit too pale and oddly mottled and the latter a
>
weird pale, brownish hue (which translates to me as primaries that should
>
look blackish but have a melanin deficiency). The size and shape of the
>
bill seems good for an Olympic Gull (or even a Western Gull or GWGU). I
>
wonder if the iris has a similar pigment issue, which is why its so pale?
>
The coloration of other bare parts, like the legs and bill, seem normal."
>
>
All that being said, I am no gull expert, but it appears that this gull
>
isn't going to have a solid ID anytime soon.
>
>
- Alex Sowers
>
>
On Mon, Jan 18, 2021 at 6:55 PM Northwest birding e-mail <
>
tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:
>
>>
I saw a bird that fits Odette's description in October at the Cedar River
>>
mouth. In addition to what Odette described the bird has yellow eyes. I
>>
have some poor digiscoped photos here:
>>
http://www.birdingwashington.info/Pics/gull
>>
>>
If you right click on an image and select "View Image" you can see the
>>
photo at full size.
>>
>>
Odette has seen these photos and thinks it may be the same bird.
>>
>>
Does anyone have an idea what it is?
>>
>>
Thanks,
>>
>>
Randy Robinson
>>
Seattle, WA
>>
rwr DOT personal AT gmail DOT com
>>
>>
> On Jan 18, 2021, at 12:46 PM, Odette B. James <o.b.james...> wrote
>>
>
>>
>The possible Iceland Gull has returned to the delta of the Cedar River
>>
at
>>
>the south end of Lake Washington. It is with other gulls on a patch of
>>
>gravel exposed among the logs on the submerged delta. The bird has a
>>
very
>>
>pale mantle and pink legs, is an adult (has red gonydeal spot on bill),
>>
is
>>
>smaller than nearby Glaucous winged, has no streaking on back and sides
>>
of
>>
>neck. There at 12:30 in the afternoon on Jan. 18.
>>
>>
>>
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>>
Tweeters mailing list
>>
Tweeters at u.washington.edu
>>
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>>
>
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>
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>
Tweeters at u.washington.edu
>
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>
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