Glaucous-winged Gull, 1st winter: Roberts Lake Park, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 2007
A pale individual. Note the most obvious difference from Glaucous Gull, the all dark bill and matching colour of the primaries to the tertials.
Overall 1st-winter Glaucous-winged Gulls have a primary colour that should match that of the tertials with little or not contrast. This bird shows such a uniformity across the whole wing with the slightly darker median and lesser coverts pattern just showing through. The mantle and scapulars are pale grey with faint pale brownish internal marks and whitish tips and fringes. Note how short the primary projection us, extending beyond the tail tip by only a quarter of the entire length of the exposed primaries.
The strongly angled Gonys is very evident here with pink only visible at the base of the bill. The legs are rather bright pink.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 1st winter: Roberts Lake Park, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 2007
This bird has heavy grey streaking on the head and neck whilst the under-parts are a overall grey. This, along with the mostly grey Scapulars, make this bird a darker individual than the bird above. The scapulars show pale tips and dark feather shafts.
The short primary project is evident. The pale sandy coloured primaries match the tertials and wing coverts.
The bills is heavy with pronounced Gonydeal angle.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 1st winter: Roberts Lake Park, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 2007
Very similar bird to the previous individual, sharing its overall dark/grey appearance.
The wing covert pattern is slightly more pronounced and the white tips to the tertials less abraded. Bird identified as a Glaucous-winged by virtue of the primary colour matching the tertials and wing coverts, similarly coloured tail, the short primary project and the heavy bill with strong Gonydeal angle.
Aged as a 1st year as has retained, pointed, juvenile primaries.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 1st winter: Roberts Lake Park, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 2007
Many of the 1st-winter Glaucous-winged Guls seen at Roberts Lake were of the darker variety. This bird differs from the proceeding by more obvious wing coverts patter. Here the greater coverts are pale based, with exception of the inner most, with darker subterminal markings and pale notching. The median and lesser coverts are brown centred with fine white finging. The tertials are pale brown centred, becoming paler towards the outer edges of the feather. White is limited to the tips. The primaries, still juvenile as pointed, are pretty much the same colour as the tertials and do not contrast with the rest of the wing. The under-parts are rather darkish mottled grey.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 1st winter: Elkhorn Slough, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 2007
Note the follow pro Glaucous-winged Gull features:
- Concolourous primaries and tertials
- Short primary projection
- Deep Gonydeal angle
- Mottled grey under-parts
- Mid grey 'saddle'
However the strong patterned wing coverts suggest that the bird may be a hybrid?.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 1st winter: Roberts Park Lake, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 2007
Another rather white bird. This was not an overly large individual with a rather a short stubby bill, it is possibly a female. The head, neck and upper breast are whitish which contrasts with the mottled darker body plumage. A few grey scapular feathers can be seen. On a whole this is a scruffy, heavily worn bird though maintains the typical Glaucous-winged Gull features; most notably the concolourous primaries and tertials and short primary projection.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 1st winter: Roberts Park Lake, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 2007
This is the same bird as in the first image on this page with this image taken in softer evening light which lends to the sandier wing colour. Again note the strong angle at the Gonys and the slightly more apparent greyer body.
This was a big bird.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 1st winter: Roberts Park Lake, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 2007
Note the striking contrast between the whiter primaries and the under-wing coverts.
Glaucous-winged Gull - Larus glaycescens
First-years : page 1
March birds
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 Elkhorn Slough Monterey (5).JPG)
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