Unidentified Dark Gull
First observed 1/17/08
Virgina Lake, Reno, NV
Web page by Martin Meyers
Photos by Dennis Ghiglieri, Greg Scyphers, and Martin Meyers
Note: Steve Ting has an absolutely spectacular set of photos of this bird on his website.
Click
here to visit that website.
Two digiscoped photos by Dennis Ghiglieri on first day bird was observed, 1/17/08
Photo 1
Photo 2
Three photos by Greg Scyphers, 1/19/08
Photo 3: Spread wing, spread tail
Photo 4: Spread wing, spread tail
Photo 5: Fighting with California Gull
Photos by Martin Meyers, 1/19/08
Photo 6: Swimming, facing left
Photo 7: Walking, facing left
Photo 8: Standing, facing right
Photo 9: Standing, facing right
Photo 10: Flying left
Photo 11: Wings raised
Photo 12: Wings raised
Photo 13: Landing, wings spread
Photo 14: Wings raised
Photo 15: Flying right
Photo 16: Landing, wings and tail spread
Photo 17: Flying left, chasing Ring-billed Gull
Photo 18: Standing, wings raised
Photo 19: Fighting with California Gull
Photo 20: Drinking. This bird drank very frequently, much more than any other gull on the lake
Photo added 1/22/08
Photo 21: Size comparison with California Gulls
Photos added 2/26/08
Photo 22: Closeup of head (right side) on 2-26-08
Note orbital ring (which was not present in last month's photos)
Is there the beginning of red gonys spot?
Photo 23: Closeup of head (left side) on 2-26-08
Some gape color
Photo 24: Another closeup of head (left side) on 2-26-08
Photo 25: From 2/26/08, full body shot showing legs.
To me, the legs look more yellowish than when I initially observed the bird last month.
In the earliest observations, I was convinced the legs were rather solid pink
Look at the two shots at the very top of this web page, taken the first day.
Photo 26: Another full body shot from 2/26/08
Photo 27: One more full body shot from 2/26/08
Photo 28: 2/26/08 Flight shot
Just a chance to compare tail and other plumage to the shots from the earlier days
(I don't see much in the way of change, but look at the next photo...)
Photos added 4/07/08
Photo 29: 3/31/08 Flight shot
But here's a shot from a month later (and the last day the bird was seen)
showing that it has molted R-4, and now has only two dark-banded outer tail feathers
on each side.
Photo 30: 3/30/08. Notice that the leg color is pale yellowish.
(However, the feet returned to a pinkish color after it had been out of the water for awhile.)
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