Glaucous-winged Gulls, Adults: Roberts Lake Park, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 2007
What follows are a series of images relating to adult birds at Roberts Lake. The following features identify all birds as Glaucous-winged Gulls, whilst individual notes will accompany the relevant picture.
- Dark eye eliminates American Herring Gull
- Heavy and bulbous tipped bill
- Grey primaries, only a few shades darker than the upper-parts
- short primary projection, only three visible primary tips extend beyond the end of the tail
- Bright bubble gum pink legs
Glaucous-winged Gull, Adult: Roberts Lake Park, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 2007
Primaries P10-P7 show a distinctly darker greyer tone the the paler grey inner primaries. P10 shows a large mirror and small white tip whist there is a small mirror on the inner web of P9, most clearly visible on the right wing. The tips to primaries P10-P6 are small. P5 shows a pale grey band, especially noticeable on the right wing. The legs are bright pink.
Overall the bird has the impression of a white-winged gull.
Glaucous-winged Gull, Adult: Roberts Lake Park, Monterey, California, USA - 11th March 2007
This close up of the wing tip pattern of a disheveled bird following preening.
Glaucous-winged Gull - Larus glaycescens
Adults
November Birds
March Birds
Glaucous-winged Gull, Adult: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, USA - 13th November 2009
A close up head shot. Note the slightly square appearance and large dark eye, with dull pinkish orbital ring, rather central in the face. The bill is hefty and rather deep based with prominent Gonys expansion and blunt tip. The basal colour is subdued, almost fleshy and a paler tips and scattered dark marking indicating that the bird may not be fully adult yet.
Series of adult Glaucous-winged Gulls from Roberts Lake Park, Salinas River Mouth and Goat Rock Beach, California, USA - November 2009
Glaucous-winged Gull, Adult: Salinas River Mouth, Monterey, California, USA - 26th November 2009
A more heavily marked bird on the head, neck and breast; note the abrupt termination of barring on the breast.
Glaucous-winged Gull, Adult: Salinas River Mouth, Monterey, California, USA - 26th November 2009
A typical adult; note the fine head, neck and breast barring the pale grey, short primaries.
Glaucous-winged Gull, Adult: Point Pinos, Monterey, California, USA - 26th November 2009
The darker primaries, mid grey upper-parts appear to be a by product of the lighting, or are they? whilst the bill is a little on the long and bulbous side.
Glaucous-winged Gull, Adult: Roberts Lake, Monterey, California, USA - 26th November 2009
Taken in very overcast conditions the upper-parts are unnaturally dark here however this bird could be a hybrid as perhaps the low light alone cannot account for the mid bluish-grey upper-parts and 'slaty/dusky' grey primaries; perhaps a hybrid. Compare with the typical Western Gull behind.
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