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page 188 in reference to plate 27: "First-winter:...Aged by dark eye..."
"Second-winter:...Eye bicolored..."

page 190 in reference to plate 28: "Late first-winter:...Note dark eyes..."
"Second-winter (Aug-Apr)...Eye starts to become pale at about one year of age"

Interesting also is that they give TWO color illustrations for second
winter...one for Aug-Apr which does not show obvious "adult-like" pale grey
mantle and scapular feathers and then a later second-winter illustration that
shows the grey developing in an obvious way (like other 4 year gulls). Then in
reading the full species account, before March, it seems the main difference
between the plumage on a first year versus a second year is the second year is
less patterned (no chevrons in secondaries)...they do say that rarely pale grey
develops in a "few" of the mantle and scapular feathers...but from my reading
this is more common March onward and definitely develops by the second summer. 

Then in Grant's "GULLS A Guide To Identification" 1986, info on plumage is less
detailed but generally agrees....and somewhere I read that the plumage on
second winter Glaucous Gulls is more variable than in any other large gull.

So my take on this is if I see a Glaucous Gull this time of year and I get a
look at the iris in good lighting and it's obviously paler than the pupil, then
it is at least a second year....and if at first I don't see "adult-like" pale
grey in its mantle and scapulars, I should take a really close second look to
see if I can find a very subtle hint of this (less subtle in other 2nd winter
large gulls) and not fully expect it until about March onward....because the
eye color is diagnostic and the mantle/scapular plumage is so highly variable
(and not fully developed for that cycle in mid-winter plumage).

I'm happy to have someone tell me if I'm wrong (but I don't think I am) :-P

Behavior wise....one of the books mentions that they are aggressive to other
gulls which I've been noticing they tend to be bullies at the gull puddle...but
on the other hand they seem more skittish than the other species, often being
the only ones to fly off when a car drives by.

Cindy Ashy


 
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