Community Photos

1 Brant flock with Western and Mew Gulls at HMSC 01-09-2011
2 Dinner, South Jetty, 11-06-2010
3 Western Gull, Whalen Island, 4-9-2011
4 Adult Western Gull at Heceta Lighthouse, Lane County, OR 7/15/11
5 Western Gull taken on Fishing Trip in Ocean off the mouth of The Columbia River by Dan Mitchell on 8/24/11
6 Western Gull taken on Fishing Trip in Ocean off the mouth of The Columbia River by Dan Mitchell on 8/24/11
7 Western Gull taken on Fishing Trip in Ocean off the mouth of The Columbia River by Dan Mitchell on 8/24/11
8 Western Gull taken on Fishing Trip in Ocean off the mouth of The Columbia River by Dan Mitchell on 8/24/11
9 Western Gull taken on Fishing Trip in Ocean off the mouth of The Columbia River by Dan Mitchell on 8/24/11
10 Western Gull taken on Fishing Trip in Ocean off the mouth of The Columbia River by Dan Mitchell on 8/24/11
11 Western Gull taken on Fishing Trip in Ocean off the mouth of The Columbia River by Dan Mitchell on 8/24/11
12 Western Gull at San Elijo Lagoon, San Diego County 27 Dec 2007
13 My favorite flyer and most common backyard bird, Lincoln City, 5-1-2011
14 Western Gull positioning a starfish to eat at the South Jetty in Newport Oregon.
15 Western Gull positioning a starfish to eat at the South Jetty in Newport Oregon.
16 Western Gull positioning a starfish to eat at the South Jetty in Newport Oregon.
17 Western Gull positioning a starfish to eat at the South Jetty in Newport Oregon. Note the other 4 starfish lined up to be eaten next.
18 Western Gull taken by Dan Mitchell in Lincoln City, Oregon on 9/19/2010
19 Portland, OR, March 2012
20 Western Gull (juvenile) in flight, Off San Diego, CA, 9/6/2011
21 When the really big surf hits the shore the Gulls fly right in front of the break, and often into the spray, to feed on what the waves have churned up off the sea floor and tossed in the air. Sunset Beach Oregon State Park near Coos Bay. 28 foot swells plus 5 foot wind waves, 11-7-09
22 When the really big surf hits the shore the Gulls fly right in front of the break, and often into the spray, to feed on what the waves have churned up off the sea floor and tossed in the air. Sunset Beach Oregon State Park near Coos Bay. 28 foot swells plus 5 foot wind waves, 11-7-09
23 Here's a tight crop of the wingtips from photo #13.
24 This bird is what we northwesterners might call a "CBC Western Gull" when seen inland during the winter months. However, note that there is some black in the gonydeal spot and a slight bit of darker mottling on the nape. This bird is definitely at the Western end of the cline, but shows characterisitics that suggest it's a hybrid.
25 On the surface, this bird seems like a paler adult Western Gull. Note that it has a paler bill with black in the gonydeal spot and appears to have the slightest dark mottling on the head. These aspects point to introgression from Glaucous-winged Gull.
26 Again, this bird is as close to "pure" Western as you get, while still showing characteristics suggestive of a hybrid. Absence of black in the gonydeal spot, black primary tips, colorful bill, and fairly dark mantle all good for pure Western, but this bird shows some mottling on the head, which winter adult Westerns normally don't show. This could be just a bird that is in its 4th cycle and not reach definitive adult basic plumage yet.
27 Very dark slaty but not black primary tips. More color on the bill than a Glaucous-winged and a conspicuous black spot on the top of the red gonydeal spot. Note the estensive grayish mottling on the head.
28 Note that the dark area on the wingtips is not black it very dark slaty. This is the wingtip of the bird in the previous photo.

28 photos

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