Slaty-backed Gull Dec 17 Chilliwack

[Gord]

This afternoon at about 3:20 I stopped on my way home to check on a large flock of gulls at the far west end of McGuire Road. Fairly quickly my binocular scan picked out a very dark backed gull. I got my scope out in the lee of the van from the wind and saw an adult Slaty-backed Gull. This is the first one since 2009!

Pictures were hard to obtain in the fading light and wind but the dark back really sticks out and if you look closely and add a bit of imagination fairly extensive head streaks can also be seen. Hope it sticks around.

[Randy]

Great find Gord! Are the streaks on the nape what differentiate it from a western gull!

[Gord]

Randy, yes, the heavy streaks would plus a slightly darker back are good clues. At close range the pale eye is another field mark. As one looks at gulls a lot, subtle differences in body shape, bill shape and so forth also provide clues especially with 'textbook' individuals (i.e. a female Thayer's Gull sticks out much more readily than a larger male might).

Watch out for hybrids between Glaucous-winged and Western Gulls. The streaky heads of the Glaucous-winged comes over in the mix but usually the back and wingtips are not very dark.

Here's some pictures from the website

www.fraservalleybirding.com/Species/Bird%20Accounts/Slaty-backed%20Gull.htm

All that said, gulls are notoriously difficult and there are always birds that break the 'rules' once in a while. Never hurts to take time with an identification.

[Dave]

Good stuff! I may make a try for it in the next few days if work permits a 'day light exit in time'.

[Randy]

Thanks a lot Gord, I definitely have to work on my gull ID abilities. They're tough!

[Gord]

Randy, they're indeed tough! A little article on the website might help in finding one's way around these guys.

www.fraservalleybirding.com/Articles/Gulls%20A%20Who%27s%20Who.htm

I checked this afternoon but no luck. Sounds like other birders have also been checking throughout the day as well for it.

[Chris]

I was out there today. At the end of McGuire Rd was a decent size flock of gulls. No Slaty-backed but there was a pure Western Gull.

[Gord]

I checked the area on Friday afternoon. Lots of gulls and while none of the flocks were too close to the road I think I would have seen it if it were among the flocks. It really sticks out!