Wow.  Now I seem so gull-ible!  (I couldn't resist).

On Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 8:43 AM, Eugene J. Scarpulla <>wrote:

> Gary,
>
> Whenever I am in the field specifically gull watching (Conowingo,
> landfills, wastewater treatment plants), I always have my gull library with
> me in the car.  True, they are not all field guides.  These include (from
> older to newer):
>
> Grant, P. J.  1986.  Gulls: A Guide to Identification (Second Edition).
> Buteo Books.  352 pp.
> (I grew up on this guide.  It is a bit dated and long out-of-print.  Black
> and white sketches and photographs)
>
> Olsen, Klaus Malling, and Hans Larsson.  2004.  Gulls of North America,
> Europe, and Asia.  Princeton University Press.  608 pp.
> (I really like this guide and recommend it [and their related guide, Terns
> of Europe and North America].  Both are a wealth of information with great
> color plates and photographs.)
>
> Howell, Steve N. G., and Jon Dunn.  2007.  A Reference Guide to Gulls of
> the Americas. Houghton Mifflin Company.  516 pp.
> (The newest.  Also a wealth of information with great color plates and
> photographs.  They have changed the aging terminology from summer and winter
> plumages to cycles.  While I like the book, I have not adopted the
> terminology and I am still a holdout, using summer and winter plumages.)
>
> For completeness, I will mention the following book.  I do not take it in
> the field.
> Dwight, Jonathan, M.D.  1925.  The Gulls (Laridae) of the World: Their
> Plumages, Moults, Variations, Relationships and Distributions.  Bulletin of
> the American Museum of Natural History, Vol. LII, Art. III,  pp. 63-401.
> (It is dated and long, long out-of-print and very expensive if a seller can
> even be found.)
>
> For a general field guide with good gull plates, I recommend:
> Dunn, Jon L., and Jonathan Alderfer.  2006.  National Geographic Field
> Guide to the Birds of North America (Fifth Edition).  National Geographic
> Society. 503 pp.
> (This is the best for carrying in your pocket for a quick look-up.)
>
> There you have it.  more then you wanted to know about gull guides.
> Gene
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary Ender (home)" <
> >
> To: <>
> Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 9:34 PM
> Subject: [MDOSPREY] Book advice - Gulls
>
>
>   A kind benefactor has offered to increase my minimal bird book library
>> by one.  In reviewing some posts and pictures of glaucous gulls and the few
>> pictures in Sibley, it is clear that Sibley is not adequate for IDing all
>> the forms and variations.
>>
>> What would be a good field guide for eastern and/or US gulls?
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your advice.
>>
>> Gary Ender
>> Bethesda MD
>>
>


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"The most powerful weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the
oppressed" - Stephen Biko