[NatureNS] gull ID

DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed;
DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws;
References: <4C52D366.2080705@sydneypenner.ca>
From: Richard Stern <sternrichard@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:57:05 -0300
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca, sfp@sydneypenner.ca
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects

Index of Subjects
--0016e6d27b850ca352048c9b3b26
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Hi,

As long as that dark mark on the bill is real, and not a blob of mud, I
don't see any reason why this isn't a Ring-billed Gull. Shades of gray and
white can be deceiving in pictures, and in these the fog masks them even
more. If the mark on the bill is a blob of mud, and the bill is actually
plain, then Mew might be a possibility, but would be v. rare indeed in
Summer (they 're pretty rare, at least for me, in Winter!).

Richard



On Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 10:28 AM, Sydney Penner <sfp@sydneypenner.ca> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I dropped in at Cherry Hill today and found a gull that puzzles me. The
> puzzlement may just have been created by limited visibility (there was wind,
> rain, and mist) and by confusion on my part. Still, I'm wondering if someone
> might be willing to look at a few pictures (of rather low quality) and let
> me know what they think.
>
> Here are two pictures that allow for a size comparison with a Herring Gull
> at about the same distance:
> http://picasaweb.google.com/sepenner2/CherryHillGull#5499491907295283410
> http://picasaweb.google.com/sepenner2/CherryHillGull#5499491902228246114
>
> Here are two pictures from a bit closer:
> http://picasaweb.google.com/sepenner2/CherryHillGull#5499491912860227154
> http://picasaweb.google.com/sepenner2/CherryHillGull#5499491906756103170
>
> Some salient points:
>
> 1) The gull was quite a lot smaller than the numerous Herring Gulls in the
> area. I know that there is some variation in Herring Gull sizes, but this
> gull struck me as too small to be a Herring Gull. But maybe there is even
> more variation than I think.
>
> 2) My next thought was that it was a Ring-billed Gull. But Ring-billed
> Gulls were the common gull in New York where I lived for the last five
> years, and I convinced myself that this bird just didn't quite look right to
> be a Ring-billed Gull. That said, I definitely still think that Ring-billed
> is a possibility.
>
> 3) One reason I doubted Ring-billed is the head shape: it looks more
> rounded to me than what I would have expected. But here it would have been
> really handy to have a few Ring-billed Gulls sitting around for comparison
> purposes.
>
> 4) I kept trying to figure out what the colour of its legs was, but the low
> visibility left me unsure. Generally, the legs didn't look yellow to me, but
> one could definitely imagine yellow legs with the last of the photos linked
> to above.
>
> 5) The eyes consistently looked dark to me, but, given the visibility, I'm
> not sure how much I would stake on that.
>
> 6) One additional piece of information not evident from the photos: the
> upper side of the tail was entirely white.
>
> A couple of the features I mentioned (head shape, eye colour) might suggest
> Mew Gull. But (a) Mew Gull doesn't seem very likely around here and (b) not
> all its features match Mew Gull well (e.g., I would have expected more
> obvious white crescents on its wings if it were a Mew Gull). I also don't
> have any experience with Mew Gulls, making such a judgement trickier.
>
> Anyway, if someone can tell me more about this gull, I would be grateful.
>
> Best wishes,
> Sydney
>
>
> Sydney Penner
> 114 Willow Ave.
> Berwick, N.S. B0P 1E0
> sfp@cornell.edu
>



-- 
#################
Richard Stern,
317 Middle Dyke Rd.
Port Williams, NS, Canada
B0P 1T0

sternrichard@gmail.com
###################

--0016e6d27b850ca352048c9b3b26
Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<br>Hi,<br><br>As long as that dark mark on the bill is real, and not a blo=
b of mud, I don&#39;t see any reason why this isn&#39;t a Ring-billed Gull.=
 Shades of gray and white can be deceiving in pictures, and in these the fo=
g masks them even more. If the mark on the bill is a blob of mud, and the b=
ill is actually plain, then Mew might be a possibility, but would be v. rar=
e indeed in Summer (they &#39;re pretty rare, at least for me, in Winter!).=
 <br>

<br>Richard<br><br><br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Fri, Jul 30, 2010 =
at 10:28 AM, Sydney Penner <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:sfp@sydn=
eypenner.ca">sfp@sydneypenner.ca</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=
=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid=
 rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">

Hi all,<br>
<br>
I dropped in at Cherry Hill today and found a gull that puzzles me. The puz=
zlement may just have been created by limited visibility (there was wind, r=
ain, and mist) and by confusion on my part. Still, I&#39;m wondering if som=
eone might be willing to look at a few pictures (of rather low quality) and=
 let me know what they think.<br>


<br>
Here are two pictures that allow for a size comparison with a Herring Gull =
at about the same distance:<br>
<a href=3D"http://picasaweb.google.com/sepenner2/CherryHillGull#54994919072=
95283410" target=3D"_blank">http://picasaweb.google.com/sepenner2/CherryHil=
lGull#5499491907295283410</a><br>
<a href=3D"http://picasaweb.google.com/sepenner2/CherryHillGull#54994919022=
28246114" target=3D"_blank">http://picasaweb.google.com/sepenner2/CherryHil=
lGull#5499491902228246114</a><br>
<br>
Here are two pictures from a bit closer:<br>
<a href=3D"http://picasaweb.google.com/sepenner2/CherryHillGull#54994919128=
60227154" target=3D"_blank">http://picasaweb.google.com/sepenner2/CherryHil=
lGull#5499491912860227154</a><br>
<a href=3D"http://picasaweb.google.com/sepenner2/CherryHillGull#54994919067=
56103170" target=3D"_blank">http://picasaweb.google.com/sepenner2/CherryHil=
lGull#5499491906756103170</a><br>
<br>
Some salient points:<br>
<br>
1) The gull was quite a lot smaller than the numerous Herring Gulls in the =
area. I know that there is some variation in Herring Gull sizes, but this g=
ull struck me as too small to be a Herring Gull. But maybe there is even mo=
re variation than I think.<br>


<br>
2) My next thought was that it was a Ring-billed Gull. But Ring-billed Gull=
s were the common gull in New York where I lived for the last five years, a=
nd I convinced myself that this bird just didn&#39;t quite look right to be=
 a Ring-billed Gull. That said, I definitely still think that Ring-billed i=
s a possibility.<br>


<br>
3) One reason I doubted Ring-billed is the head shape: it looks more rounde=
d to me than what I would have expected. But here it would have been really=
 handy to have a few Ring-billed Gulls s