A proper gull this time please; San Luis Obispo, California coast - labelled as Thayer's, but looks a thickset brute with a heavy bill - I'm suspecting Western?
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GULL,_THAYER%27S_(2-12-09)_first_winter,_elephant_seal_overlook_-03_(3274773045).jpg
Thank you,Lou.
Is this then an adult Whiskered Tern?
What about this one?
nutty, west coast gulls are a nightmare with all those hybrids hanging around but i tend to agree with you it doesn't look like a thayer's gull. actually it doesn't look like any typical juvenile west coast gull. the fact that it hasn't replaced any scaps by february would favour thayeri but that smooth pattern is nothing i have seen in juveniles of this species. maybe it's a dodgy olympic gull
hi odysseas, no this is a michahellis. now, when they are in basic (non-breeding) plumage it's rel. simple: many streaks around eye = micha, mostly white head but concentrated streaks on hindneck forming a collar = cachi. plus bill shape and eye colour.