California - November 2009
Ring-billed and California Gulls
Heermann's Gull
Boneparte's Gulls
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Hybrids
Albino Gull sp.
Glaucous-winged Gull
Yellow-footed Gull
Western Gull
American Herring Gull
Another gull that I was keen to photograph was Ring-billed Gull, most notably the non adult plumages. The best place for this I found was Lake Merrit in Oakland were many Ring-billeds were present though Laguna Park and the Salton Sea provided plenty of opportunities. Surprisingly Roberts Lake, Monterey didn't have any in the car park.
As can be seen some first-winter Ring-billed Gulls are delicately patterned, note the scapular pattern. In general Ring-billed were common and widespread.
The images below commence with first-winters, progress Click here for more Ring-billed Gull imagess to second-winters and end with adults.
By far the commonest Gull encountered, several thousand at Salton Sea and hundreds on the coast the California Gull is another highly variable gull though doesn't seem to prone to hybridising with other species. Several locations provided ample photographic opportunities on the coast, more so than at the Salton Sea, with places such as Morro Rock, Laguna Park, Salinas River Mouth and Roberts Lake all having birds at close range.
Below I have included a spread of birds of different ages from these locations. For more on California Gull click here.
