Rob-
I'm pretty sure you have an adult Thayer's Gull here - how exciting! Round
head, smallish bill with red spot, pink legs, mantle color, and especially the
pattern in the primaries all point to Thayers (National Geographic field guide
describes the primaries pattern as "Large white mirrors with little blackish).
Great bird!
Karen Kearney
On Sunday, March 9, 2014 2:09 PM, Rob Bielawski <robbielawski@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I was out hiking Back Bay NWR this morning and saw a large flock of mixed
gulls (Great Black-backed/Lesser Black-backed/Herring/Ring-billed Gulls)
situated on the beach about 1/2 mile south of the main access from the
visitor center. Mixed in with the flock was one white gull, with small
head, dainty yellow bill with red spot, and small amounts of black on the
wing-tips.
I posted up a couple photographs to www.outdoor-imagery.com/blog at the
top. Photos have been cropped down but nothing else (lighting/colors/etc)
was altered. Can anyone confirm the ID from these photos? I've never seen
either species prior. I'm guessing the nasty Nor'easter we had off the
coast here the last few days may have pushed these birds onto the coastline.
Rob Bielawski
Virginia Beach, VA
www.outdoor-imagery.com
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