Wonder if you have the time to identify this gull. The picture was take on the Queen Charlotte Islands, B.C. Canada in mid-September and is thought to be a Lesser Black-backed of the Heuglin's race. Any opinions?
Unidentified Gull BC Canada
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Ruud Altenburg
- Posts:248
- Joined:Sun Sep 27, 2009 1:58 pm
Received this pictures from Greg Smythe with the following question:
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Ruud Altenburg
- Posts:248
- Joined:Sun Sep 27, 2009 1:58 pm
Re: Unidentified Gull BC Canada
My reply was as follows but hopefully someone can provide a more thorough answer!
Hallo Greg
as far as I know 3cy heuglini is not supposed to be actively moulting the outer primaries in September. This taxon is moulting primarily on the wintering grounds. From a European perspective graellsii/intermedius LBBG is a more likely option. Its moult stage mirrors that of the birds we see in the Netherlands (see table):
http://gull-research.org/lbbg3cyc/lbbg3cysept.html
An LBBG would be hideously out of place in E Canada though?!
Regards
Ruud
Re: Unidentified Gull BC Canada
Not so hideously out of place after all 
Jan
Jan