Bleached Gull, California USA (1 Viewer)

[AdrianB70]

Goleta Beach Park, Santa Barbara, Southern California on June 13, 2017

By structure it's safe to say it's either a Glaucous-winged Gull, a Western Gull, or a hybrid of the two. Given that the bird is so bleached, is it safe to rule out Western Gull purely by how white it is, or is this level of paleness possible for a bleached Western Gull as well?

 

[lou salomon]

it's possible, in any large gull, especially when exposed to strong sun. So this could well be a western gull.

 

[AdrianB70]

Okay, thanks.