[obol] Dark Seaside gull

[Alan Contreras]

Hi Ed.  This looks about the same color as a dark gull I photographed at Big
Creek mouth, Lane Co. two weeks back.  Mine was an adult (photos attached),
yours is a third-year that is almost adult (note the black on tail, absence
of white spots in primaries, some off-color feathers in the primary
coverts).  

Al Jaramillo, who is very good with gulls and found most of California's
Slaty-backs, concluded that mine is probably a southern-form (wymani)
Western owing to pale pinkish legs, no extra spots in wingtips and normal
length legs (slaty has short legs).  The fact that we have had heavy south
winds for weeks now supports that idea.  I have only seen a wymani once
before in Oregon.

-- 
Alan Contreras
EUGENE, OREGON

acontrer at mindspring.com
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