Glaucous-winged Gull, 3rd-winter: Roberts Lake Park, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 2007

This particular bird lingered around the car park at Roberts Lake and was noted on several occasions allowing very close attention to be made on it. It was however the only 3rd-winter bird to be seen.

The bird has attained virtually all mid grey upper-parts with a hint of brown tomes in the wing coverts. The primary bases are similarly mid grey though darken towards the tip. The primary tips show small white spots. Note, especially on the top image, how much darker the wing tip is compared with the upper--parts but not strikingly black as on Herring Gulls.

A notable Glaucous-winged Gull feature is the heavy dirty grey streaking and mottling to the head, neck and breast which contrasts with the white under-parts and cleaner grey upper-parts. The eye is only slightly pale.

The bill still has the typical Glaucous-winged Gull shape, a pronounced Gonydeal angle and blunt tip giving a bulbous tipped affect. The bill is also becoming pale.