[obol] Re: Non-Oregon Gull ID Question
- From: "Wayne Hoffman" <whoffman@xxxxxxxx>
- To: <cgates326@xxxxxxxxx>, "'obol'" <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 8 May 2014 14:20:35 -0700
Hi -
When (particularly immature) northern gulls winter in subtropical to
tropical areas, they experience extreme feather wear and bleaching. I
suspect the most affected ones are not producing enough uropygial oil to
preen properly as well. The upper wing coverts on this bird have actually
lost most of their barbs, so the white panels showing are the shafts of
those feathers plus the pale (normally covered) pale bases of the
secondaries underneath. Shape and bill characters seem consistent with
Greater Black-backed, but face it: this bird has lost to wear and bleaching
most of the plumage markings you would use in ID. Without other gulls in
the photo for size comparison, I would hesitate to put a name on it, and I
would particularly not want to call it something rare.
Wayne
-----Original Message-----
From: obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Charles Gates
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2014 8:31 AM
To: obol
Subject: [obol] Non-Oregon Gull ID Question
While birding the Atlantic coast of Florida a few weeks ago, we came across
a "mystery" gull that has evaded identification to this point.
Even though we had a very experienced Oregon birder and one of Florida's
best birders in our group, we were unable to come to a positive conclusion
as to the identification. Anyone out there want to take a look? I can say
that the gull was larger than a close-by Lesser Black-backed Gull. I only
have two photos. The photos show a large-billed, flat-headed gull that is
pale overall with brown edges to the primaries, very bleached out upper wing
coverts, light head, dark eye and pink legs. The default here is Great
Black-backed Gull because of size and bill shape but I can't find any
similar individual in my gull book (Howell & Dunn) unless leucism is
involved.
View the bird at https://app.box.com/s/lzvczbrf7gvljta6cu43
--
It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know
for sure that just ain't so.
Mark Twain
Chuck Gates
541-280-4957
Powell Butte,
Central Oregon
Oregon Birding Site Guide
www.birdingoregon.info
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