The gulls are so varied from season to season, I am never quite sure.
Posted by Luke Ormand on October 27, 2009 at 4:22 PM
I google imaged Juvenile Laughing Gull and it looks like your assumption is correct - looks like its molting but gulls always confuse me as they have different plumages for 1st year, 2nd year, winter, etc.
- Luke
Posted by Jim DeWitt on October 27, 2009 at 11:47 PM
Range maps are your friend here, Philip. In your part of the country, only one species of gull have a strong white eye ring: Laughing Gull. As you say, gulls have subadult multiple plumages, a two adult plumages. But many times adults features appear in subadults. This is a first winter bird.
Discussion
2 replies- Luke