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Summary: This page gives links to the various different blog posts I have written for the gulls I have had trouble identifying on my own.

Photo Gallery

Unresolved
Glaucous-winged x American Herring Gull Hybrid?
Three Mystery Gulls: Glaucous-winged or Thayer’s? Observed 18 and 19 February 2007.
Two possible Glaucous-winged x American Herring Gull hybrids seen at Swan Lake 19 February 2007.
Juvenile Herring or California Gull seen at Totem Park 12 September 2007.

Resolved
Kittiwake with red legs (Black-legged Kittiwake with red legs)
Dark mantled gull (Slaty-backed Gull)
Slaty-backed Gull? (yes, Slaty-backed Gull)

Click on the thumbnails below to see pictures of gulls I’ve not identified to species yet.

I have not figured out whether this is a first year Thayer's Gull or a first year Glaucous-winged Gull. Observed 16 January 2007 at Eliason Harbor.

I think this may be a hybrid Glaucous-winged x American Herring Gull, but it may be a pure Glaucous-winged Gull. Observed 17 February at Swan Lake.

I think this may be a hybrid gull. My best guess at this point is Glaucous-winged x Herring Gull. Observed 17 February 2007 at Swan Lake.

This gull is probably a Thayer's Gull or a Glaucous-winged x American Herring Gull hybrid. Observed 18 February at Starrigavan.

Juvenile Gull observed 19 February 2007 at Swan Lake.

I think this gull is probably a Glaucous-winged Gull, but the eye seems pale and the structure seems a bit slight. Observed 19 February 2007 at Swan Lake.

I think this may be a hybrid gull. My best guess at this point is Glaucous-winged x Herring Gull. Observed 17 February 2007 at Swan Lake.

Unidentified Gull 1

Unidentified Gull 2

Unidentified Gull 3

Gulls observed at Swan Lake.

Observed 25 November 2007 at Swan Lake.

I am not positive that this is a Thayer's Gull, but the dark wing tips and lack of a bright yellow eye lead me to that identification. I'm still not comfortable with what constitutes typical variation in this species, so the seemingly large bill makes me wonder. Observed 26 November 2007.

This gull was intact, except for a missing head. I am not sure how it died. Observed 30 November 2007.

Close up of the same Thayer's Gull as in the previous photo. Orbital ring is very pale, but seems pink. Observed 26 November 2007.

Unidentified Gull (Larus sp) observed at McDonalds on 19 February 2008.

I think this might be a hybrid gull.

The gull in question seems as large a the Glaucous-winged Gulls on either side of it, but has much darker wing tips.

Created: December 15, 2007
Last updated: February 20, 2008

6 Comments »

[...] More Gull ID challenges [...]

Pingback by Hybrid Gulls? | Sitka Nature — December 15, 2007 @ 9:24 pm
[...] More Gull Identification Challenges [...]

Pingback by More February Mystery Gulls | Sitka Nature — December 19, 2007 @ 10:49 pm
[...] More gull identification questions [...]

Pingback by Gull Identification | Sitka Nature — December 28, 2007 @ 8:04 pm
[...] Unidentified Gulls [...]

Pingback by Mystery Gull Season | Sitka Nature — February 19, 2008 @ 11:50 pm
[...] Unidentified Gulls Previous in series [...]

Pingback by Gull Identification Challenge | Sitka Nature — February 20, 2008 @ 11:32 pm
[...] More Gull Identification Challenges Previous in series [...]

Pingback by Another McDonalds Gull | Sitka Nature — February 21, 2008 @ 12:42 pm

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