Linda Iceland gull, regardless of age, is noticeably larger and heavier than Ringed-bill. This time of the year any North American adult gull has substantially worn feathers, and molting. Several years ago I had what I initially thought was a Glaucous Gull in the heat of summer, which on closer inspection was a very worn Herring Gull. Worn feathers appear lighter since the black tips become absent. Shape is more important, but based on your comment about size and my assumption that you look closer at birds then the general public, I would suspect the gull was Larus delawarensis and was second year because of the terminal tail band. Laughing Gull would be too small for your bird and the terminal tail band would be bolder. You might get the Small Gull Video by Jon Dunn. It should provide extensive information on this bird. If the Small Gull video (I have not seen it yet) is as good as the Large Gull video, you should be able to answer your own question. Good birding. George >>> <quiltbird@annapolis.net> 07/01/99 01:33pm >>> Hello Ospreyers, Need some help with a gull ID, please. Yesterday Dotty Mumford and I went to bombay Hook to look for the little egret and whatever else we could find. (No luck on little egret.) In the course of our travels, we went out Port Mahon Road and one of the stops we made was at the pier that is gated. It was full of birds, mostly gulls of two species, ring-billed and great black backed, with one royal tern. And--one odd-ball gull. An over-all pale bird. The gull in question was perched with ring-billeds and was approximately the same size, although may have been a tiny bit smaller. It had a white mantle, with light brown primary feathers. It's head looked just a little flatter the birds near it (angle of viewing?), and the tip of the beak was shaped differently. When preening, it spread its tail feathers, showing a brown terminal band. On the "brag sheet" at Bombay Hook, an immature Iceland gull had been reported on Port Mahon Rd, so we took this to be that bird. But upon looking at field guides--it doesn't fit. Borwn primaries and brown terminal tailband don't occur on Iceland gull in plumages described. Any thoughts? While at Bomay Hook, we did see Wilson's phalarope in breeding plumage, lots of dowitchers in, 20 or so breeding plumage American avocets, glossy ibis, 2 green-wing teal, gadwall, least sandpipers, semi-palmated sandpipers and numerous egrets (all carefully scrutinized). Also did not find the peregrines reported to be frequenting the area by the tower at Little Creek, but it started raining just as we arrived there. All help appreciated as I have much to learn. Linda Baker quiltbird@annapolis.net