RE: Gulls, hybrids, and votes (LONG)
Darius Ecker (dariuse@abs.net)
Sat, 14 Feb 1998 08:54:13 -0500
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Norm,
I don't beleive this is completely true. Jim's original "it's a =
Ring-billed Gull" message does give a brief description of the =
characteristic he used to support his personal identification. I think =
he used nearly a direct quote from "Gulls - An Identification Guide" by =
P. J. Grant. =20
The quote is (correct me Jim, if I'm wrong) on page 63 under the =
description of Ring-billed Gull.=20
"the dark centres of the inner median and lesser coverts (which form the =
inner part of the carpal-bar) have a pointed shape at the tip, not =
rounded as on Common Gull, but these differences are valid only in fresh =
plumage because wear and fading eventually make the wing coverts uniform =
and whitish in both species".
I interpret this to mean that if the pointed shape can be seen it's =
Ring-billed, but that if it's absent it isn't necessarily Common Gull.
My identification of this bird merely rules out Common Gull, and does =
not peg the bird to Ring-billed. My field observation did not note the =
pointed shape to the tip, not because it couldn't have been there, but =
because under the conditions I couldn't see it. The one good photo I got =
only showed the rump well.
I mainly eliminated Common because based on Grants description of Common =
Gull on page 51, again I'll quote Grant.
"characteristically elegant look, caused by the compound effect of a =
rather small and very slim-looking bill, rounded head with 'gentle' =
expression."
=20
the Conowingo bird had neither a slim bill or a rounded head and there =
were lots of Ring-billed Gulls there to compare it with. Rather than =
base the ID of a very unusual bird for our area on a single =
characteristic (rump plumage), I'll just let it be "gull, sp.".
I agree that Rick's message was great, and I hope everyone read the last =
paragraph where he pointed out that we all learn by our mistakes and =
should look upon positively.
I'd love to see a photograph posted to the web that either supports or =
refutes the pointed shape of the tips of the coverts, head shape, bill =
size and bill shape.
Good Birding,
Darius Ecker (dariuse@abs.net)
Columbia, Maryland.
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From: Norm Saunders[SMTP:osprey@ARI.Net]
Sent: Saturday, February 14, 1998 6:17 AM
To: mdosprey@ARI.Net
Subject: Re: Gulls, hybrids, and votes (LONG)
In response to Rick Blom's submission on "The Gull":
At last! Thank you, Rick! I think it was you who noted earlier that=20
all of this discussion should serve as a learning experience. This=20
is the first intelligent discussion of the issues and reasoning that=20
went into current examination of "The Gull's" photos. I was having=20
problems with the discussion up to this point because pronouncements=20
were being made, but with virtually no discussion of the reason=20
behind those decisions.
Once again, thank you for laying out the issues and research=20
strategies required to critically examine a bird such as this one.
Cheers,
Norm
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Norm Saunders
Colesville, MD
osprey@ari.net
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