ML646837542

Observation details

Largest gull present among an assortment of gulls on the ice that included at times over a dozen Herring Gulls. Relatively short primaries. Short, stout bill. Dark eye. Folded primaries tan with pale edges. In flight, grayish brown tail band apparent. Color patterns on the pale wings seemingly good for GWGU, with darkest color confined to the edges and the tips of the outer primaries. Second winter characteristics with smudgy appearance overall, some gray scapulars, and bicolored bill (without sharp demarcation). Thayer's Gull ruled out by overall size and stout bill. Herring Gull hybrids (including Glaucous-winged and Glaucous) would have more uniform color on outer primaries, darker secondaries, and also (probably) a paler eye.