ML392333951

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Adult. Larger, fuller-breasted, significantly rounder-headed that herring gulls (direct comparison). Tarsi thicker and pinker than on adult herring gulls (direct comparison); tibia apparently shorter. Very short primary projection. Primaries never seen well on spread wing, but on closed wing, dark could be seen to be very dark gray rather than the velvety black of adult herring gulls (direct comparison) and the white spots perhaps slightly larger. At one point I could see the underside of the opposing wing, and it was pale gray. White secondary "skirt" very broad. The back was noticeably paler than that of herring gulls (direct comparison). The neck and head were largely unmarked, with some smudgy streaking forming a faint shawl across the hind neck / upper mantle, a bit of gray behind the eye and on the lore, and some often indiscernible dark markings on the chin and breast sides. The bill was rather short, distinctly arched at the tip of the culmen and slightly swollen at the gonys. The red spot was slightly elongated on the lower mandible. Inside of mouth blackish, seen when the bird cast a pellet. This is a presumably common but only infrequently detected hybrid combination on the Jersey shore.

Technical information

Model

SM-G960U1

ISO

50

Focal length

4.3 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/1.5

Shutter speed

1/203 sec

Dimensions

828 pixels x 396 pixels

Original file size

276.91 KB