Bird News from Tim Edelsten
At Odael beach today an assortment of gulls provided some amusement. Several were seen eating fallen snow (a useful source of freshwater) including one seen plucking snowflakes out the air as it roosted.
- Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris.
- Common Gull Larus canus.
- Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus. One apparent pallidissimus.
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus, © Tim Edelsten
- American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus. One possible individual showed a combination of features indicative of this taxon, including pale ash-grey mantle, clear pale eye with orange-red orbital ring, head-streaking extending down to breast-sides, darker smudge around the eye, flesh-coloured legs, deep-chested structure, and heavy, longish bill with orangey gonys spot not reaching to upper mandible edge.
Presumed American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus, © Tim Edelsten
- Vega Gull Larus vegae. The 60 or so individuals present were mostly typical vegae, with e.g. evenly pink legs, shortish bill with obvious gonydeal angle, dark brown eyes ( two or three only with pale iris), steep forehead giving vaguely round-headed appearance, and heavy blotching down nape. One untypical individual however (photographed below) showed a paler saddle; neater, more attenuated structure, bluish-grey legs and bill and very little white at the primary tips.
Untypical Vega Gull Larus vegae, © Tim Edelsten
- Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus.
- Taimyr Gull Larus heuglini taimyrensis. Six or seven present.