Glaucous-winged Gull - Larus glaycescens
Second-years
Glaucous-winged Gull, 2nd winter: Goat Rock Beach, Jenner California, USA - 28th November 2009
The typical Glaucous-winged Gull jizz is apparent here, the short wings, large tertial step emphasizing the blunt ended rear end, the largish square head, short, deep based blunt tipped bill and thick set legs.
Pay attention to the plumage characters:
- mid to pale brown primaries are a little to dark and brown, compare the next images, and perhaps elude to the possibility of mix blood, i.e. a hybrid or it could be a lighting affect?
- plainish tertials and greater wing coverts; inner tertials and most of median and lesser coverts have been renewed
- solid pale grey 'saddle'
- dusky fine spotting and barring on the head, lower rear neck down onto the beast and belly
- whiter underparts
- fill has become paler at the base especially on the lower mandible.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 2nd winter: Salinas River Mouth, Monterey California, USA - 28th November 2009
The typical Glaucous-winged Gull jizz is apparent here, the short wings, large tertial step emphasizing the blunt ended rear end, the largish square head, short, deep based blunt tipped bill and thick set legs.
Compared with this previous bird this individual has primaries that are concolorous with the tertials and wing coverts and do not elude to any possible hybrid possibilities.
- Note the wing coverts are all rather solidly uniform, as would be expected by a second-winter, with the tips of the median and greater coverts pale creating a very indistinct double bar across the wing.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 2nd winter: Point Pinos, Monterey California, USA - 26th November 2009
(same bird above and immediately below)
Note the same basic plumage characters as the previous bird; the concolorous primaries, tertials and wincoverts whilst this bird has still not replaced all of its scapulars yet.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 2nd winter: Point Pinos, Monterey California, USA - 26th November 2009
(same bird above two immages)
This inflight image shows a little contrast between the flight feathers and the rest of the upper-wing; indeed the upper-wing almost looks tri-coloured: flight feathers pale greyish-white; greater and greater primary coverts plain pale grey and the median and lesser coverts and rest of upper-wing slightly darker grey with some paler next generation grey appearing on the lessers.
The tips of the primaries are fairly dark and contrasting extending slight along the outer webs.
The rectrices are virtually all pale plain grey with white restricted the bases of the outer feathers and the tips.
Also note the rather broad and short winged appearance.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 2nd winter: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco California, USA - 13th November 2009
A rather large bird with apparent dark looking primaries however in the field these matched with the tertials and wing coverts and may be a lighting affect in this picture.
The tails shows white at the edges and basal corners.
The bills is large and becoming pale at the base.
The head is fairly well streaking and fairly dark, not finely marked as in pure Glaucous-wingeds which along with the darker looking primaries, if not due to lighting, could indicate some Western Gull influence?
Glaucous-winged Gull, 2nd winter: Goat Rock Beach, Jenner California, USA - 28th November 2009
A rather small and rounded headed individual which also has a rather short bill.
Plumage looks within range of Glaucous-winged Gulls but note the new plain pale grey tertials and the scapulars.
Glaucous-winged Gull, 2nd winter: Roberts Lake, Monterey California, USA - 26th November 2009
Many characteristic plumage features can be seen here:
- Primaries, tertials, tail and wing-coverts match in shade and tone
- Scapulars are plain bluish-grey with some retained paler brown feathers with the lower rear scapular being whitish.
- The is fine streaking around the head but note how it becomes more finely barred on the neck sides and breast.
- Darker on the lower neck sides and nape with dark blotching on breast and belly sides but doesn't look excessively dark.
- Hefty bill which shows a distinct curvature to the culman and is becoming pale based.
Again note the short rear ended appearance due to the short primaries; only P9 and P10 extend beyond the tail tip whilst P8 falls level with it.