www.gull-research.org

These pictures were sent to me by Mark Szantyr:

"This bird was photographed in 1994 at Storrs, Tolland Co. CT and has been ID'd as everything by people from around the globe. I wonder if you would care to offer an opinion?"

A second batch of images was sent after I informed about the date these pictures were taken:

"These pictures show a better rendition of the color and I am including two others, one with smithsonianus Herring Gulls and one the only open wing shot taken. The year appears to 1997 or 1998 and the time is mid November. Again, thanks for looking at this."

Based on the pattern of the second generation greater coverts my first option would be LBBG, but after seeing thes open wing I'm not so confident anymore. Anybody cares to offer their 2 cents?

not just those coverts Ruud, the pattern of both the old and the new scapulars and the pattern on the tertials combined with the white head,neck and upper breast and it's build should make this a Lesser Black-backed.

I know it's an unfair question but how sure are we all that the photograph of the bird on take-off is the same bird and not the smithsonianus standing next to it in one of the other photographs?

pim wolf

I again fully agree with Pim. Obviously the wrong bird flying off has been pictured here, since the flying bird is a year to old...

Theo Muusse

Indeed the secondaries look a bit weird for a 1cy!

Hi all.

I remember this gull from many years back and at the time I also identifired it as a LBBG.
However, what ever species the flying gull is, it´s not the smithsonianus from the image above by lookng at the seemingly all dark bill. That dark bill would also indicate a younger bird than suggested. I´m not saying that it´s the subject gull but the bluriness of the image makes it difficult to see it properly.

JanJ

This bird reminds me a little of this individual i seen last week. I had to do a quick double take!

Derek

Hello Derek!

Any flight shot of this interesting gull?

Nice bird Derek.
We have similar birds so now and then in Holland as well, most of the times in October, so I suspected a northern
intermedius component. However, checking birds in our local colony show these individuals can be found here as well, but scarce.

Picture: IJmuiden the Netherlands, 20 Aug 2008