All photographs ©2004-2008 by Mary Beth Stowe
Larids
First-year "Olympic Gull" (Glaucous-winged x Western hybrid); the upper wings were reminiscent of American Herring but definitely pale underneath
Heermann's Gull against the foam
2nd-year California Gull
This gull was photographed at Salton City, Imperial County, CA, on 23 OCT 07; I thought it was a Thayer's, based on the small all-black bill, and the primaries being darker than the secondaries, but the verdict came back as a first-year American Herring.
On the same date I came across what I initially ID'd as a Lesser Black-backed Gull, mainly based on the paler eye (which unfortunately isn't evident in these digiscoped shots), thinner bill relative to Yellow-footed (at least from what I could tell), and head-streaking. Unfortunately I was fooling with the camera when the thing took off, never to be seen again... Thoughts?
Here is the same bird (left) in company with an adult California Gull. The CAGU by itself is on the right. The presumed LBB was a bit larger with a somewhat darker mantle.
Here again is the same bird in company with a first-year Ring-billed Gull.
Juvenile Heermann's Gull on Catalina Island
Juvenile Western Gull, same place
Adult Western Gulls, ditto.
Western and Heermann's Gulls - Sunset Cliffs
American Herring (above) and 1st year Yellow-footed Gull (below) at the Salton Sea
Mob of Common Terns at Robb Field; the black wedge in the wing helps to separate it from Forster's.
"Get your eyes off my prize!" Ring-billed Gull at Sunset Cliffs
This Western Gull found the perfect pedestal at La Jolla Cove!
This lost Heermann's Gull (right) showed up at the Salton Sea along with a ratty-looking California Gull
Also at the Salton Sea, this Little Gull showed up in the spring of 2006 and hung around for several months!
Gull-billed Tern at the Salton Sea, showing underwing pattern
Black Skimmers and Caspian and Gull-billed Terns nest at the Salton Sea; the White Pelicans are summering birds.
In summer, gulls can get pretty ratty-looking, although this Heermann's Gull guarding a kiosk at La Jolla Cove is still in pretty good shape...
This Western Gull (also at La Jolla Cove) is somewhere between two and three years old (sometimes it's hard to tell...)
A straight-forward first-year Western Gull, also at La Jolla Cove
This breeding-plumaged Bonaparte's Gull was hanging around San Elijo Lagoon in June of 2007, which is rather late!
Adult (left) and juvenile (right and below) Least Terns at Huntington State Beach, Orange Co.
Forster's Tern at Bolsa Chica Lagoon, Orange Co.
Elegant Tern show, same location (with Black Skimmers in the background)
There was a lot of sky-pointing and strutting going on! (With over-summering Ring-billed Gull on right)
In confrontation with gulls and each other...
Bad hair day...
This odd gull at Huntington State Beach (2 AUG 07) had us scratching our heads; it turned out to be just a 3rd-summer Western (probably occidentalis), but the head streaking and pale eye reminded me of Slaty-backed.
Taken with the sun at a better angle. The pale eye is very evident here, but it's not as pale as a Slaty-back's would be.
Seen here with a virtually identical 3rd-summer Western, except that his eye is dark.
Digi-scoped shots of the same bird. A Slaty-backed would show streaking rather than smudging, and the eye would be more "fierce" looking with a touch of "mascara"!
Second-year Glaucous-winged Gull (in company with a 2nd-year Western on right)