Subadult Gull, Santa Cruz, California USA (1 Viewer)

[emupilot]

The photo was taken today with my phone, so I apologize for the poor (almost useless?) quality. This gull was on the beach with a few Ring-billed Gulls. It was about the same size as the Ring-bills with a relatively thin bill, outer 1/4 blackish with the rest bluish gray. Legs were very light pink, almost whitish. As near as I could tell the eyes were dark. Notably, there was quite a bit of contrast between the light gray back and white wings. Based on head shape, eye color, and white in wings I was thinking perhaps a subadult "Thayer's" Iceland Gull, but the leg color and contrast between back and wings make me question that.

 

[SteveClifton]

Good chance it is another Ring-billed Gull with some 'pigment issues'-likely due to leucism.