ML613520159

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

The dark eye and dainty bills stood out on this bird as I was scanning the RBGU flock with my scope. Bill was also greener compared to the brighter yellow of the adjacent Ring-billed Gulls. I was able to get a digiscoped video and all photos are grabs from the video. One shows the primaries lack the white dots, indicating a second winter bird. If RBGU, that would explain the dark eye. Looking at the plates of Common Gull in Olsen and Larsson's Gulls of Europe, Asia, and North America, second winter Common Gulls shows a distinct band on the bill like this bird does. I didn't notice the mantle was darker than the RBGUs but the harsh light and angle of bird would make that difficult. Perhaps just a dark-eyed, small billed, 2nd cycle Ring-billed Gull?

Technical information

Original file size

2.37 MB