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Photo by Jeff Stemshorn, Tempe Town Lake Pedestrian Bridge, Nov. 25th, 2011. |

But on November 25th while birding the Tempe Town Lake Pedestrian Bridge, I spotted a single bright white bird floating amid a flock of Ruddy Ducks on the lake. When it took to the sky we could see it was a gull, but what kind? Is it a Western Gull, or a Ring-billed Gull in non-breeding plumage, or a California Gull in winter plumage... or something else?
Anyone want to venture a guess as to what type of gull this is?
*** Update as of Dec. 1st ***
Suprisingly, the best ID so far of the Mystery Gull has come from the least experienced birder, my friend Don Price, an avid fisherman:
"Yes. I know this gull! His name is Richard." Don went on to say - "Well, I guess you’d say what can make me feel this way? My gull, my gull, my gull… talkin’ ‘bout my gull."
Pure genious.
This is a second-cycle Ring-billed Gull. Note the long bill and the extensive black on the undersurface of the primaries.
ReplyDeleteIt's a neat set of pictures! I talk about this plumage in a talk I wrote a while ago called "Sorry, My Mistake," about common identification errors and what I've learned from them.
Thanks Rick! There were lots of suggestions as to which gull it was - second winter Mew Gull, first or second winter Franklin's Gull, Western Gull, etc.. But you, Mark Larson, Diana Herron, Myron Scott, and Pete Moulton have all concluded that it is a second-winter Ring-Billed. Thank you to all who helped in identifying the mystery gull!
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