possible "portugese" YLGU in Florida?

[Martin Reid]

Dear all,
This is my first post. The North American Gull Conference is under way in Atlantic Florida. Monday evening some of us found the attached gull. Yesterday most of the attendees saw it, and there's been much discussion! IMO it looks like the bird of the Portuguese coast, like there sent to me by Pep Arcos:
http://www.martinreid.com/Gull%20website/atlap18.html

I know that the assembled gang here (including Bruce Mactavish, Alvaro Jaramillo, Paul Lehman) would appreciate getting some feedback while we are all still gathered here. Thanks!

Martin
martinreid.com

[Theo Muusse]

Hi Martin and friends!
I think the following ; the pattern of wingcoverts, 2nd gen mantle and scaps, inner primary pattern, jizz of the bird standing, bill, head etc, this bird would be put in the argentatus argentatus corner when seen in Holland.
Its a pretty dark bird, judging inner primary and underwing, with an obvious tailband.
But I think that will not be enough to me to make it a michahellis of some kind.

I hope the Fins will react too, to help you out with this one.

Cheers from here!

Theo

[JanJ]

Hi Martin.

I would agree with Theo on Herring suggestion and for the same reasons. If I saw this at my home patch (souteastern Sweden), I would not consider YLG but Herring - perhaps with a slightly different pattern than on argentatus seen here. On the other hand, 1st cycle argentatus is higly variable. The rather clear-cut tailband, restricted and dark inner primary pattern, but with clear Herring pattern in the tips but perhaps not as pale on the outer web as would be expected in argentatus. However such pattern as in the Florida bird - with elongated narrow 'windows' are not infrequent, both in michahellis, cachinnans, smithsonianus or argentatus/argenteus. I´m not sure whether to put this one in the smithsonianus oddity camp or not, but there surly has been quite a few European Herring Gull lookalikes recorded in N. America. This one though doesn´t appeal to me as a candidate. How variable can smithsonianus really be? Taken in January but still fresher looking than the accompanying smithsonianus. One could wonder what species the LBBG's in N. America couples with?

JanJ

[JanJ]

Some more pic. of Matin's Florida gull here:

http://www.martinreid.com/Gull%20website/gullsp207.html

Compare structural differences in the first and second pic.

Jan