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From: grp@unify.uucp (Greg Pasquariello)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Mystery Gull
Message-ID: <25740506.23262@unify.uucp>
Date: 29 Nov 89 16:34:14 GMT
Reply-To: grp@unify.UUCP (Greg Pasquariello)
Organization: Unify Corporation, Sacramento, CA, USA
Lines: 36


(Hmmm... what happened to the first posting?)

I had a gull that stumped me yesterday on Folsom Lake, in California.  It
was a first year bird, the size of a ring-bill (some were around for com-
parison), and had a slightly smaller, all dark bill.  General body coloration
was very much the same over the entire bird, evoking images of Iceland Gull,
only a tad darker.  The primaries on the folded wing were only _very slightly_
darker than the rest of the bird, and when in flight, they were pale underneath.
The eye appeared dark, although I was at some distance, and I did not get a 
clear look at leg color.

My list of possibilities includes:

Mew Gull, although first year should have more of a saddle, and the primaries 
should have been a little darker.  Right size and bill shape though.  This is
my first choice.

Thayer's, although primaries should have been darker on top, and bird should 
have been larger.

Iceland, although this bird was too dark, too small, and way out of range.

Glaucous-winged:  No way.

Some teenage mutant ninja gull hybrid:  a possibility.


Any ideas you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
-Greg
-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greg Pasquariello	(916) 920-9092		grp@unify.UUCP
Unify Corporation				...!{csusac, pyramid}!unify!grp


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