[obol] 2 Kittiwakes in Seaside that I am unsure wereBlack-legged--RBA?

[Russ Namitz]

David & others~

>I am left with a memory of two small gulls with long pointed gray wings 
>with a wide white trailing >edge thicker at the bend such that it makes a 
>shallow triangular shape on the upper wing.

I haven't studied this character on immature Red-legged Kittiwakes, but they 
are a smaller, darker birds than Black-legged (i.e. don't have longer 
wings).  If they were in juv/imm plumage, Red-legged is the only N.A. gull 
species that has a white tail in this plumage.  The differences in wing 
shape for A. Kestrel & Merlin apply to the kittiwakes.  The Red-legged has a 
much sharper, more angular wing shape than the Black-legged.

Good birding,
Russ Namitz
Coos Bay