ML255079931

Age and sex

Adult, Unknown sex - 1

Behaviors

Flying

Observation details

Unreal! Right as we were about to leave (remarking "it seems quite slow"), this bird came in low around Point Cavallo and flew right overhead going north, circled around Horseshoe Bay briefly, and then headed out towards the gate. Unfortunately, my camera settings weren't optimized and I was wholly unprepared for the bird to fly in so low and close overhead so the photos are not as good as they should be with too much blur in the wings. These images are the best I could muster out of a bevy of blurry pics. Compact black-headed gull that is smaller than Laughing Gull, but larger than Bonaparte's Gull. In definitive alternate plumage. Black head, large prominent broken white eye arcs/rings, petite red bill, gray uppers, dark legs, and since the bird was in alternate, a pinkish blush to the white underparts. Molting inner primaries. Cf to LAGU by smaller size, smaller bill (not as long and "droopy"), more prominent eye arcs, bold black and white primary tips. Cf to BOGU, larger size, larger bill, white primary tips, and dark legs. Note: This bird appears to be a different individual than the worn and battered bird in basic with missing primaries that has been seen in west Marin as recently as 7/3/20.

Technical information

Model

ILCE-9

Lens

FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 1.4X Teleconverter

ISO

200

Focal length

560 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/11.0

Shutter speed

1/400 sec

Dimensions

2411 pixels x 1722 pixels

Original file size

2.89 MB