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Thayer's Gull (1 Viewer)

seb salas

Well-known member
I'm off to see this possible first winter Thayer's Gull in Kings Lynn tomorrow. I've got the Birding World from a couple of years back and Helm Gulls, but to save me a bit of time, does anyone fancy summarising the ID for me?
God I'm lazy.
 
Kumlien's Gull?
I thought they don't exist anymore. Didn't somebody write something about they may only be hybrids or something?
I'm very precise aren't I!
 
Hi Seb,

Yep - hybrid/intergrade between Iceland and Thayer's. Which is of course why Thayer's look rather like Kumlien's . . . .

I'd agree with those (inc. the BOURC) who treat Thayer's as a race of Iceland (e.g. BB 94: 191-195, 547-548; 2001).

Michael
 
Michael,
I have a very strict rule on both taxonomy and escaped birds:
I follow the BOU all the time unless I've actually seen one they don't accept!!!
That's why White Headed Duck, Baikal Teal and Caspian Gull are on my list, but I personally don't consider Thayer's Gull a true species unless I see it tomorrow. In which case it's going on my list as a full tick. If I don't see it I shall rant about how there is no way it could be a full species!!!
 
Hi Seb,

There's some photos of it just been posted on the net by Graham Etherington - here's the link:

http://groups.msn.com/GrahamEtherington/thayerishgull.msnw

GE is not yet convinced of its identity (calling it a 'Thayerish' Gull!), and I have to confess, looks like a urinal-standard argentatus Herring to me, next to those GBB Gulls (but that probably just proves that I don't know anything about the subject!).

Michael
 
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Hi all,
As a less experienced and knowledgable birder than a clearly upset Spud,I should get away with commenting on this gull!
I haven't knowingly seen a Thayer's Gull(but I have seen a good candidate,a 2nd-w locally in early 99),but this doesn't fit my search image of one.It does look a bit like one,but I feel that a few features aren't right.The head and bill look a bit odd(more like Herring or maybe hybrid Glaucous-winged x Herring),there appear to be two generations of mantle feathers in the last pic(should be still in more or less full juv.plumage),and the pale fringes to the primaries aren't very noticable.Also,looks a bit sturdier than most Thayer's.
Probably just an odd Herring,but would need to see the pattern of the spread wing and tail to further comment on the ID.
Harry H
 
I have Thayer's Gulls right down the beach neear where I live in California. Come on down if you want to see the real thing (which the "Thayerish" bird isn't).
 
According to Rare Bird Alert it's just a small juvenilem argentatus Herring gull!

Mark

Oh and there's a picture of it on Surfbirds.
 
proof of the dangers of looking too hard at LWHGs!

We'll do an experiment. There are some decent tides coming up. I bet I can find a couple of debatable birds in them...and post pics. Mind you it means I have to look at them.
 
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