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matty
Trad climber
under the sea
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Feb 29, 2012 - 08:43pm PT
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Ha you already know more than me about gulls! to me they're all just seagulls. Maybe someday I'll learn more. Actually I have a some gull shots from the Salton Sea I can use as practice...
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Feb 29, 2012 - 08:45pm PT
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What are the Gull ID tips you guys use?
I start with bill, leg color, and then wings and feather patterns. Then I give up.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Feb 29, 2012 - 08:46pm PT
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I'm guessing looking at bill color, foot/leg color and wing color is key. Still those rascals change a lot growing and moving from breeding to non-breeding plumage. I do not see many so I'm weak on them. Wish I had my book to study now.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Feb 29, 2012 - 08:49pm PT
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Crimps, yous guys should come on a pelagic trip with us out of Monterey in
August. Then we could all go nuts trying to ID gulls and shearwaters. But
at least there would be somebody there to help.
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matty
Trad climber
under the sea
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Feb 29, 2012 - 08:51pm PT
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I believe this is a ring billed gull...
An I think Mark (frumy) posted a herring gull?
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matty
Trad climber
under the sea
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Feb 29, 2012 - 08:59pm PT
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Is this a western?
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Tony
Trad climber
Pt. Richmond, CA
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Feb 29, 2012 - 10:36pm PT
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matty,
That's a California, I believe. Western Gulls are seldom found far inland, although I don't know about Salton Sea. They get a lot of unusual gulls. I have been suffering through trying to find uncommon gulls here in Pt. Richmond during a Herring run with thousands of gulls feasting on Herring eggs in scenes like this:
I think I found a Glaucous Gull (the bill is important here):
Mostly, though, it has been a lesson in the individual variation in gulls and the frequency of hybrids. Also, it is evident that important field marks change in different-aged gulls.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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I start with bill, leg color, and then wings and feather patterns. Then I give up.
Still sitting here laughing at this one! :) A pelagic trip in August? I bet that could be arranged. Seriously. I'd fly out for that. Should we set up a Taco-Pela-Fest?
edit: Matty - I believe that is a Ring-Billed above as you thought. That concludes my gull knowledge. :)
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scuffy b
climber
heading slowly NNW
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There are Franklin's and there are the others.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Should we set up a Taco-Pela-Fest?
Yes! But let's market it as the First Taco-Pela-Puke-Fest in the interest
of truthful advertising. Those trips can fill up in a hurry so we should
start looking at dates.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Cool! Let's do it. Puking may draw in more critters so it could work out extra well. :)
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Tony
Trad climber
Pt. Richmond, CA
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An August pelagic trip sounds great. Are we talking Monterey Bay or maybe Westport in WA?
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matty
Trad climber
under the sea
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Trips are always fun...Monterey works best for me.
Craig- I don't have a book yet...which is a good one? Silby? Suggestions?
I just use the internet look stuff up after the fact.
I thought this was a western because of the leg color, California Gulls have yellow legs I read. Is it because it's young, does leg color change?
EDIT: I guess leg color can change and this is probably a california because of the lighter grey and the location?
This is a western yes?
Matt
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matty
Trad climber
under the sea
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Lots of gulls here
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matty
Trad climber
under the sea
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Tony
Trad climber
Pt. Richmond, CA
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matty,
The second one is a Glaucous-winged. Note that the primary tips are the same shade of gray as the rest of the wing and mantle, and there is a lot of smudging on the neck. Also, not a pale eye as for a Herring.
The Sibley guide is good. There is a western version that is filed size. I have mainly been using the Nat Geo guide of late.Either the western or the new edition of the NA.
Edit: looking again at your photo it looks like the tips are darker gray, but not black as with a Herring or Western. It might be a hybrid, which is quite common among the large, white-headed gulls.
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matty
Trad climber
under the sea
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Thanks always learning.
This is a Least Sandpiper?
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Slater
Trad climber
Central Coast
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I see a theme here... hmmmmm... desert...no
savanah... nope that's not it
arctic...
no...
anyone???
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