This presumed first-basic smithsonianus Herring Gull was photographed at Rockport,
Texas in January, I think (not sure what year, but post-1999).
The photos were taken to document the Thayer's Gull at left -
I cannot recall who took them; I'd appreciate hearing from
the photographer so that I can credit him/her and add the date
information. Note the fresh innermost greater covert,
and possibly a couple of 2nd-generation lesser coverts that were
replaced in the post-juvenile molt, such that they are almost
as worn as the juv. coverts:
Note below the extensive white in the outer retrix and the mottled
rather than cloudy belly pattern; I am struck by certain similarities
to images of Azorean Atlantis YLGU published in BIRDING WORLD,
Volume 14 Number 7 ("Identification of Atlantic Islands Yellow-Legged
Gulls", Philippe Dubois). Follow
this link to see a selection of Atlantic-type YLGUs - but
none are of the even more smith-like Azorean form. I feel
that it could be extremely hard to identify a 1B Azorean YLGU
in North America, given their similarity to some smith.
HERGs:
