Re: [SBB] dark seagull at SWPCP

[[[email protected]] (Bill Maney)]

Al,
I looked at a few pictures of Black-Tailed gull on the web.  (I assume
you mean juv, since the adult has lots of white.)  I do not think this
is my bird.  The beak was not pink at all, the top of the front of the
beak did not have black that I noticed.  There was one picture with
white tipped secondaries.  In my bird, they were primaries, and it
wasn't just the edge of the outside of the feather but the whole end was
whitish, like half a dime.  The shape of the gull in the pictures did
not seem to match what I remember either but I can't really say why.  I
think my bird was stockier, with a shorter neck (could be posture).

My bird did not look blotchy.  The colors were uniform.  Near the head,
sometimes I got the impression of a very young bird when the feathers
are stuck together, but then other times it looked more normal.  
The thought did cross my mind that I was looking at a bird that had been
dunked in something.  But the yellow legs didn't seem to fit that (when
I said dingy, I meant the color was not heavily saturated, I didn't mean
streaked or non-uniform), and the tips of the primaries being such a
well defined color, each matching the next, didn't seem to fit a stained
bird.  (This couldn't represents new growth could it?  Forgive me for
not knowing but I would think feathers grow longer from the base (like
hair) rather than from the ends (like a tree)).

If anyone else happens to see this bird, I'd be curious to hear their
opinion.

Bill

Alvaro Jaramillo wrote:
> 
> Bill
> 
>    Perhaps this is an oiled bird or something like that Bill, but there are
> aspects of the description that sound very interesting. The species that you
> should look at is Black-tailed Gull if you can find some good illustrations
> of that. It has never been seen in California, but it is due to be found.
> Any chance that it could have been that species, or were the markings
> diffuse and "messy" making it seem like one of our regular gulls which was
> oiled or stained?
> 
> Regards
> 
> Al
> 
> Alvaro Jaramillo
> [[email protected]]
> Half Moon Bay, CA
> 
> Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide
> http://www.fieldguides.com/home.htm
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: south-bay-birds-bounces+chucag-=[[email protected]]
> > [mailto:south-bay-birds-bounces+chucag-=[[email protected]]] On
> > Behalf Of Bill Maney
> > Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 3:14 PM
> > To: south bay birds
> > Subject: [SBB] dark seagull at SWPCP
> >
> > Seen 1:30pm, Monday october 3.
> > On the bird levee in the east (red radar tower) pond there was a very
> > dark seagull, sitting with a large group of pintails and shovellers.
> > Its entire back, neck and head were dull charcoal and the primaries were
> > black with distinctly light tips (not quite white).  The undertail
> > feathers were white.  The tail feathers were dark, but may have had
> > lighter edges (or just shiny), and remained hidden under the wings
> > mostly.  It had dingy yellow legs and bill except for a  red and black
> > lower mandible mark.  The eye was dark.  I didn't get a great
> > comparision but I think it was bigger than the ring-bills.  The forehead
> > was sloped and my impression was that it's head and beak were long.
> > It was preening continuously.
> > Since I couldn't find anything like it in my National Geograpic guide I
> > thought it might be interesting to the group.  I'd appreciate any advice
> > on what this bird is.  Is there an opposite to albino?
> >
> > Also seen:
> > Green Heron
> > Bufflehead
> > Herring gull
> > Red-necked Pharalope (+AH4-2 dozen)
> >
> > Also, a burrowing owl.  Within the treatment plant, on the way to A4
> > there are two that appear to live in borrows on the levee, just inside
> > the fence.  A bold ground squirrel ran right in front of one owl.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Bill Maney
> > Sunnyvale
_______________________________________________
Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored.
south-bay-birds mailing list      ([[email protected]])
Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription:
http://www.plaidworks.com/mailman/options/south-bay-birds/list_fred_archives%40plaidworks.org

This email sent to [[email protected]]