[Birdnet] Another mystery gull at Decker Lake

[David Jensen]

Was at Decker Lake the same day as Tim Avery - I was with a friend and a scope. We found what looked like a first year Ring-billed Gull loafing on the ice toward the east end of the lake, along with many adult RB's and California Gulls and 1 Herring Gull. Anyway, this "mystery" gull stayed tucked up just about forever and only poked its head out to preen a few times. It certainly looked like a 1st witer RB but then it also looked like what could have been a 1st winter Mew (but I'm just about positive it wasn't). Its bill and legs were pale greenish/gray. The bill was black at the tip, but there was also a tiny bit of light at the extreme tip. It was the legs that threw us. Guess I'll have to look at about a thousand photos of Mew's and RB's to see what's up with the leg and bill color. This birds breast and belly were heavily streaked with brown. It finally flew away from us and we could see that it had an extensive black tale band (not narrow) but it
 got too far away for us to tell if it had any streaking on its rump.
Gulls are fun but they can make you extremely nervous and your hands WILL get frost-bitten.
Missed the White-fronted goose at Lake Park.
Any thoughts on gulls with greenish-gray legs and bill?
David Jensen
 


      
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