My comments have nothing to do with the ID of the gull, but with the names (well, I am serving as the Passenger Pigeon co-editor, so editor speaking here). According to the American Ornithologists' Union, the official English name of each of these gulls species is - Lesser Black-backed Gull and Great Black-backed Gull. Note: Lesser and Great are not parallel - one can be forgiven for expecting it to be Lesser and Greater, but it is not - at least not at this time. This is a mistake many folks make when talking about these two gulls. And when writing their names, please remember the hyphen between Black and backed (also capital B in Black and lower case b in backed). So Dennis has it correct on all points: Great Black-backed Gull See the sort of stuff editors have to watch for??? Bettie Harriman Passenger Pigeon co-Editor stepping off her soap-box in Oshkosh At 12:04 AM 11/26/2011, Dennis Kuecherer wrote: >I agree with Tom: Living on the east coast for so many years >during service time, I had daily contact with Lesser's and >Great's. Great Black-backed or Greater Black-backed... . .hmm . >Happy holidays,. Dennis Kuecherer, Ozaukee Cty > >________________________________ > From: Tom Schultz <trschultz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> >To: little_blue_birdie@xxxxxxx; dedlnr@xxxxxxxxxxx >Cc: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >Sent: Friday, November 25, 2011 11:42 PM >Subject: [wisb] Re: GBB or LBB gull? Kenosha > >I'd have to say that I disagree with Chris on the gull ID -- I believe it to >be a Lesser Black-backed. Although the bill seems somewhat large, that may >be partially an illusion, since the head/bill may be in profile while the >body is more of a 3/4 view. To me it does not appear especially heavy, in >terms of the thickness relative to the length. The eye also seems >relatively large relative to the bill size, while a Greater's eye tends to >be proportionally smaller. > >The mantle/upperparts color also seems more dark gray than blackish, and >unlike Lessers, adult Great Black-backs usually don't have much dusky >mottling on the head & neck in winter. > >Unfortunately the leg color doesn't show in this photo, but I believe that >they would be yellowish. > >Tom Schultz >Green Lake Co. > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Chris West >Sent: Friday, November 25, 2011 11:07 PM >To: dedlnr@xxxxxxxxxxx >Cc: <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> >Subject: [wisb] Re: GBB or LBB gull? Kenosha > >The gull is a Great Black-backed. Check out that bill. >The Loon is a Common, bill again. >The duck appears to be a domestic mallard. > > > >--Chris W, Richland County >Sent from my iPod > >On Nov 25, 2011, at 22:44, John Krerowicz <dedlnr@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > > We came across what we believe is a lesser black backed gull at the > > Southport Marina in Kenosha on Saturday. However, I just saw photos of a > > Greater BBG on wisbird, and now I'm not so sure. We also saw a pintail > > duck, a hybrid mallard and, at Lake Andrea in Pleasant Prairie, a loon. > > > > If anyone has a few moments to double check these birds, I've posted them > > on our website: > > > > http://ourwildlifewebsite.info/Nov.25.2011.html > > > > We have 3 questions: > > > > 1. Is the gull a greater or lesser BB? > > 2. Any idea what the mallard is a hybrid with? > > 3. Is the loon a common or otherwise? > > > > Thanks much. > > > > > > > > John Krerowicz > > > > dedlnr@xxxxxxxxxxx > > #################### > > You received this email because you are subscribed to the Wisconsin > > Birding Network (Wisbirdn). > > To UNSUBSCRIBE or SUBSCRIBE, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: > > //www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn > > To set DIGEST or VACATION modes, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: > > //www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn > > Visit Wisbirdn ARCHIVES at: //www.freelists.org/archives/wisbirdn > > > > > > >#################### >You received this email because you are subscribed to the Wisconsin Birding >Network (Wisbirdn). >To UNSUBSCRIBE or SUBSCRIBE, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: >//www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn >To set DIGEST or VACATION modes, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: >//www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn >Visit Wisbirdn ARCHIVES at: //www.freelists.org/archives/wisbirdn > >#################### >You received this email because you are subscribed to the Wisconsin >Birding Network (Wisbirdn). >To UNSUBSCRIBE or SUBSCRIBE, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: >//www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn >To set DIGEST or VACATION modes, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: >//www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn >Visit Wisbirdn ARCHIVES at: //www.freelists.org/archives/wisbirdn >#################### >You received this email because you are subscribed to the Wisconsin >Birding Network (Wisbirdn). >To UNSUBSCRIBE or SUBSCRIBE, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: >//www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn >To set DIGEST or VACATION modes, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: >//www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn >Visit Wisbirdn ARCHIVES at: //www.freelists.org/archives/wisbirdn #################### You received this email because you are subscribed to the Wisconsin Birding Network (Wisbirdn). To UNSUBSCRIBE or SUBSCRIBE, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: //www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn To set DIGEST or VACATION modes, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: //www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn Visit Wisbirdn ARCHIVES at: //www.freelists.org/archives/wisbirdn