[obol] Need Help WIth Pelagic Species ID

[Cindy Ashy]

Hmmmm...

I am familiar with the association of pelicans and
Heermann's Gulls but I am virtually 100% certain these
were not Heermann's Gulls. The coloration and pattern
was all wrong for any stage of this gull species. I
got a good look and I trust my observation skills more
than this. I'm also pretty familiar with Heermann's
Gulls having lived in California.

Someone else suggested juvenile Sabine's Gulls. This
is definitely getting closer in color and pattern (and
Bonaparte's Gull is even closer) but it's still not
right (the entire spread out mostly pure white wings
were trimmed in black). Also, these birds definitely
seemed bulkier and bigger.

I definitely wondered about flight speed...the one I
saw by itself definitely seemed to fly faster than
those with the pelicans....and it also seemed to
suddenly accelerate. Can't birds vary their cruising
speed if flying in a mixed flock?

Cindy Ashy

--- DAVID IRONS <llsdirons at msn.com> wrote:

> 
> Cindy et al.,
> 
> The most likely species to be flying with Brown
> Pelicans is Heermann's Gulls.  Depending on the wind
> conditions, their flight style can be rather
> deceptive and sometimes not very gull-like. 
> Heermann's Gulls attend north and southbound
> pelicans, particularly when they are feeding since
> Heermann's like to appropriate food from pelicans. 
> Sooty Shearwaters and N. Fulmars would be flying
> much faster than pelicans and thus would not likely
> appear to be flying "in formation" with them.
> 
> Dave Irons
> Eugene, OR   
>
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