Glaucous-winged Gulls (above and below), 1st winter: Roberts Lake, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 07
These two similar birds show the required features to identify them as Glaucous-winged Gulls.
- Lack of contrast between the primaries, tertials and wing coverts
- Short primary projection
- Greyish/brown mottled underparts
- All dark bill with striking Gonydeal Angle
- Bright pink legs
These birds show heavy wear, note the worn off tips to the tertials leaving only exposed feather shafts.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 1st winter: Roberts Park Lake, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 2007
Close up of the wing tip. Note the short primary projection, matching colour to the tertials and wing coverts. By March most gulls show heavy feather wear and this close up shows this well.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 1st winter: Elkhorn Slough, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 2007
Same bird above and below. This flight shot shows the tail pattern that is fairly typical of North American Gulls, an all dark tail with white limited to the outer edges and feather bases. Note the heavily barred upper-tailed coverts whilst the over general appearance is mostly of a large pallid gull.
The secondaries have neat whitish fringes whilst the whitish-pale grey inner primaries contrast with the sandier outer primaries.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 1st winter: Moss Landing, Monterey, California, USA - March 2007
This bird shows the pallid sandy appearance of Glaucous-winged Gull. Told from Glaucous Gull by all dark bill and sandier tones.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 1st winter: Pinos Point, Monterey, California, USA - March 2007
Just when you think you've got the best Glaucous-winged Gull another comes along and blows your socks off. This beauty was photographed in early morning light which softens its tones which probably helps it rise above the others. This stunner is overall sandy-buff in colouration and is a fairly slender billed bird. The tertials and exposed secondaries are all tipped with white whilst the juvenile primaries, pointed, also have obvious white edges.
What a cracking bird.
Glaucous-winged x Western Gull hybrid, 1st winter: Roberts Park Lake, Monterey, California, USA - March 2007
The dark brown primaries and tail on this bird rule out a pure Glaucous-winged Gull, note the contrast with the paler brown tertials, For images of other Glaucous-winged Gyull hybrids click here. Link currently inactive.
Glaucous-winged Gulls, 1st winter: Roberts Lake Park, Monterey, California, USA - March 2007
Note the variation in these two birds. The bird on the right is extremely white, rather slender and light weight and small headed and is presumably a female. The primaries are uniform in colour with the tertials and wing coverts whilst the bill is rather heavy and all dark. Despite an initial impression of a possible 1st-winter Iceland Gull this bird has to short a primary projection, wrong jizz and a hefty bill.
The bird at the back is more of a conundrum as to age. It is a bigger and bulkier bird than the other whilst more than just a little darker. The tertials and wing coverts match in colour and tone but the short primary projection is contrastingly paler. This could be down to bleaching rather an indication of it being a hybrid, most hybrids would show a darker contrasts in relation to the tertials.
March birds
Glaucous-winged Gull - Larus glaycescens
First-years : page 2
 Roberts Lake Monterey (3).JPG)
 Roberts Lake Monterey (4).JPG)
 Roberts Lake Monterey (4).JPG)
 Elkhorn Slough Monterey (5).JPG)
 Elkhorn Slough Monterey (5).JPG)
 Elkhorn Slough Monterey (5).JPG)
 Point Pinos Monterey (5).JPG)
 Roberts Lake Monterey (4).JPG)
 Roberts Lake Monterey (5).JPG)