Help with Gull ID

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Douglas Brown

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Dec 16, 2021, 5:36:05 PM12/16/21
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Chirp,

While looking for the Snowy Owl at Sandy Point {it was gone} on Dec. 12, I photographed this Gull. Gull identification befuddles me. After searching in a couple books, I determined it to be a Thayer’s Gull. Previously considered a different species, in 2017 Thayer’s Gulls were lumped with Iceland Gulls. In Ebird the option available is Herring/Iceland Gull. Are they suggesting that most folks can’t tell them apart or are they suggesting a hybrid? The Yellow gape suggests Herring Gull. The black and red spot on the bill made me think California Gull, but the leg color eliminates California Gull from consideration. Is the black spot the remnants of juvenile plumage that will turn to solid red when the bird matures? Or is it a hybrid California / Herring / Iceland? Yikes ! Any clarification is appreciated. Thank you!

PS: I tried to post this yesterday, but it appears that it did not work. If you are getting this twice, I apologize. 

cheers,   db



Barry Ulman

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Dec 17, 2021, 1:43:02 AM12/17/21
to Douglas Brown, Whatcom Birds
I’m thinking Glaucous-winged X Western Gull hybrid. The bird looks pretty heavy-set, with a stout bill like a Glaucous-wing or Western. The mantle is a darker gray than a GWGU but not as dark as a Western. And the wingtips are black.

Barry Ulman



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Philip Hotlen

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Dec 17, 2021, 3:18:42 AM12/17/21
to Barry Ulman, Douglas Brown, Whatcom Birds
Yeah, I was thinking that myself: the "Olympic Gull".

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Steven Harper

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Dec 17, 2021, 1:48:14 PM12/17/21
to Barry Ulman, Douglas Brown, Whatcom Birds
By the way, North Cascades Audubon is offering a class on gull identification starting in January so you may want to check out our website under events and you will see the link for the class.

Steven Harper
North Cascades Audubon

On Dec 16, 2021, at 10:43 PM, Barry Ulman <barryu...@gmail.com> wrote:

I’m thinking Glaucous-winged X Western Gull hybrid. The bird looks pretty heavy-set, with a stout bill like a Glaucous-wing or Western. The mantle is a darker gray than a GWGU but not as dark as a Western. And the wingtips are black.

Fredrick Sears

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Dec 17, 2021, 5:45:05 PM12/17/21
to Steven Harper, Barry Ulman, Douglas Brown, Whatcom Birds
I cannot find the source but believe there was a genetic study that found Larus spp were very wide ranging and familiar with each other enough that the species concept did not work well. Thus we kinda have a “northern” gull which varies by ocean area.

As to what variety this is the above at not helpful.

Sent from my iPhone

On Dec 17, 2021, at 10:48 AM, Steven Harper <sha...@northcascadesaudubon.org> wrote:


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