Greetings
I circulated the admittedly mediocre photos of the GWGU-oid from Drake Lake to friends in Alaska and Washington, all quite familiar with GW Gulls and GW x Herring Gull hybrids. The consensus leaned towards GW x Herring Gull, which is the feeling I get from the photos. Alas, I broke my own rules by not observing the bird until I identified it (before photographing). If I'd done so, I probably would've seen the thing in flight, and then been able to ID it with confidence. In any case, it is likely not a pure GW Gull, but rather a GW x Herring Gull hybrid. In Washington State, from where I recently moved, this cross is annoyingly numerous, and can closely resemble a bulky Thayer's Gull. Counts from both Puget Sound and Outer Coast of WA can sometime come close to triple-digits, and double-digit tallies are not that unusual if one is studying a goodly number of gulls closely. Interestingly, GW x Herring Gull hybrids outnumber pure Herring Gulls at most Puget Sound sites, as Herring Gulls are rather local in the Sound. On the outer coast, where Herring Gulls are more numerous in WA, they usually outnumber GW x Herring Gulls. And I must say, given all of the GW x Western Gulls present, some of these identifications are presumptive. In Alaska, there are locations where these two species interbreed almost freely. At other locations where they meet, they breed more assortively. Nonetheless, the number of known mixed pairs in AK means that WA birders are likely not hallucinating these presumed GW x Herring Gulls. I am trying to ascertain if anyone knows where the Herring Gulls from these locations migrate to. It may be that hybrid GW x Herring Gull is almost as likely to show up in CO as "pure" GW Gulls (if such exists... this being the grumpy view of someone who has lived in the Puget Sound :o). In any case, if more information on Herring Gull movements comes my way, or if I relocate the bird, I will pass said information along. Best Wishes Steven Mlodinow Longmont CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
