Common Gull Info
Norm Saunders (osprey@ARI.Net)
Fri, 2 Jan 1998 19:01:56 -0500
From: PObrien776 <PObrien776@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Jan 1998 16:33:01 EST
To: mdosprey@ari.net
Subject: Re: Common Gull
The Common Gull (alias Mew Gull, for the time being) was relocated
this morning (Jan. 2) by Rick Blom, Michael O'Brien and myself. It
was present for two hours, fed well, and disappeared. It had not
reappeared as of 1:30 when we left. This bird looks very much like a
first winter Ring-billed Gull but has an immaculate white rump and
tail with the exception of a jet-black, even, sub-terminal band. The
outermost feather on each side has a white outer web, and the tips of
all the tail feathers are white, so the black band is framed in white.
Beyond that it gets subtle. There are very fine streaks on the head
and small brownish spots on the sides of the breast. The flanks are
clean. On a Ring-bill the head, breast and flank markings are
prominent and coarse. Thus, the Common Gull in first winter plumage
is quite different from the comparable Mew Gull, which is a very dark
bird. Good photos are available in Grant's Gulls and the Dec. 1993
issue of Birding. See also Lars Johnson's Birds of Europe.
Paul O'Brien
Rockville, MD
pobrien776@aol.com
If anyone sees this bird again, please post a notice. There are many
people who would like to see it, some from way out of town.