-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Iceland Gull? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter icansprint
- Start date
Michael Frankis
conehead
Sure is Iceland, and a very nice first-winter too!
Glaucous would have a much stouter bill, and with a sharp divide between the pink base and black tip, unlike the pink fading darker here.
Michael
Glaucous would have a much stouter bill, and with a sharp divide between the pink base and black tip, unlike the pink fading darker here.
Michael
Last edited:
icansprint
Well-known member
Thanks Michael, I find that sorting out gulls can be difficult.
Bill
Bill
icansprint
Well-known member
Andrew,
Topsham is a little town across the river from Brunswick. Most of Maine is rural and costal or wild up north. I think we have our share of birds
Bill
Topsham is a little town across the river from Brunswick. Most of Maine is rural and costal or wild up north. I think we have our share of birds
Bill
Tom Moodie
Well-known member
Great photo of a cracking bird.
Tom
Tom
Rob Smallwood
Well-known member
Beautiful photo!
Is there a case to be made for Kumlien's Gull?
Is there a case to be made for Kumlien's Gull?
Rob Smallwood
Well-known member
I'm no expert - adults have grey (or gray for our cousins) primaries. Ist years are meant to be hard to tell apart but as they age they show darker markings on the primaries and sometimes a tail band.
I believe that there are pale and dark forms which reflect the degree of variation.
It may just be the angle of the photograph but the primaries appear to show some "coffee" pigmentation as opposed to the purer white of Iceland.
I hope that I'm not just confusing the issue!!
I believe that there are pale and dark forms which reflect the degree of variation.
It may just be the angle of the photograph but the primaries appear to show some "coffee" pigmentation as opposed to the purer white of Iceland.
I hope that I'm not just confusing the issue!!
Last edited:
Hi Rob,
On range alone,it should prove to be a 'Kumlien's',but obviously one on the Iceland Gull end of the spectrum.
Certainly see where you're coming from with the slight brownish wash to the primaries and a faint tail band.
If,as now seems to be accepted,'Kumlien's' is merely a hybrid swarm between Thayer's and Iceland,then one could expect birds closely approaching either 'pure' taxon,as well as all manner of intermediates,which is the case!
Harry H
On range alone,it should prove to be a 'Kumlien's',but obviously one on the Iceland Gull end of the spectrum.
Certainly see where you're coming from with the slight brownish wash to the primaries and a faint tail band.
If,as now seems to be accepted,'Kumlien's' is merely a hybrid swarm between Thayer's and Iceland,then one could expect birds closely approaching either 'pure' taxon,as well as all manner of intermediates,which is the case!
Harry H
Rob Smallwood
Well-known member
Evening Harry,
Thanks for the additional information.
I suspect you do a little better with "white-winged" gulls in Cork than we do here in Manchester!
Thanks for the additional information.
I suspect you do a little better with "white-winged" gulls in Cork than we do here in Manchester!
Hi Rob,
Probably fare better than Manchester alright,but all large gulls have become much scarcer here of late,due to the changing management of municipal dumps and the declining fishing fleet.Have only seen 1 Iceland and 1 Glaucous in Co.Cork so far this winter!
Harry H
Probably fare better than Manchester alright,but all large gulls have become much scarcer here of late,due to the changing management of municipal dumps and the declining fishing fleet.Have only seen 1 Iceland and 1 Glaucous in Co.Cork so far this winter!
Harry H
Rob Smallwood
Well-known member
At least you have the fishing fleet! We've also suffered from losing the "open" tips - and those still around are hard to access.
