Update: April 8, 2000:- some video
grabs of the bird in flight (by John and Barbara Ribble, added
at the bottom of this page) confirm that the secondaries are dark
brown 2nd-generation feathers, not gray 3rd-generation feathers;
also note the extensive white in the tail (in very last image,
the bird above/behind is a 2B HEGU), extensive gray in the central/outer
primaries, and the very white underwing (with thin darkish line
at tips of underwing coverts) - these are all features associated
with cachinnans.....
This presumed Herring Gull Larus a. smithsonianus
was photographed by Martin Reid at La Marque, Texas on 3rd April,
2000 and appears to be a 2nd-basic/alternate. It has a number
of odd features; the mantle tone was seen in the field to be very
slightly darker than nearby HEGUs at the same angle (but this
was marginal); the basal part of the maxilla is pale grayish-green;
the eye is quite dark; the head and body are extremely white;
the tail is mostly blackish but has white bases to the outer retrices
and a couple of much-whiter feathers; the wings look very long;
there is an obvious mirror on P10; P8 (or maybe it's P7) has a
very long gray tongue. So, is this a very retarded 3rd-basic/alternate
bird, or a most unusual 2nd-basic/alternate? Soon I will add some
flight pics that show the secondaries to be dark-brown 2nd-generation
feathers (rather than gray 3rd-gen. feathers). I suppose I should
also ask if this could possibly be an albertaensis California
Gull? as always, comments would be appreciated:
