Gulls, gulls, gulls help

[butterfly]

We have posted a set of 24 gull photos that we thought we could use help identifying, test your gull identification skills and help us at the same time please! We took the photos at the little field next to the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve on Sinclair Road.

www.butterflyonmyshoulder.ca/Gull/gull.htm

[Dave]

First, thanks for the posting, always fun, especially when
it comes to the gulls and their various looks. Gord will be responding soon - we can be thankful he can't resist these kind of photo ID's

1. The big guy is a very young Glaucous-winged Gull ( a few months old). Obviously successly raised by parents and looking rather fit for winter time. 2 adult Mew Gulls in the background.

2 & 4. Same bird - Mew Gull - second year?

3 & 6. Same bird & pic - 3rd winter Glaucous-winged?

5, 7, 8, 10, and 11 - adult Mew Gulls.

9 & 12 - family units of Glaucous-winged and Mew Gulls.
Awesome pictures.

13 - GWG

14 - A love this photo. You have an excellent plumage range of Mew Gulls there...complete with tails bands to no bands. This photo would fit well in a Gull Guide book!

The rest all seem to be mixes of Mew Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls.

#21 - seems like an interesting bird in the foreground, I think the angle makes the bill seem a bit shorter.

Great photos, and don't forget, last year at this time there was a mega-rarity in the Valley...so if you see a pure white, smallish gull kicking around, don't be afraid to post! No Slaty-backed Gulls this winter though, save those for the year to come.... Iceland Gull is okay to find again .

Thanks for sharing the photos...Gord might pull a Ross's Gull out of the mix, or a least a Thayer's or two, but I don't see any as of yet....

Dave
(Currently only seeing Black-tailed, Vega, and Black-headed Gulls..)

[butterfly]

Thanks Dave,
We really appreciate your help!
There were 300 Slaty-backed gulls dancing in your old place this afternoon with 30 Iceland gulls on their backs! ;D