Presumed 2nd winter Nelson's Gull (Hybrid of Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus and Herring Gull Larus argentatus), in field across from Seneca Meadow's Landfill, along rt 414, Seneca Falls, Seneca Co., New York. 9 December 2000.
First discovered in flock by Kenneth Rosenberg, observed by Kevin McGowan, Jay McGowan, and Steve Kelling.
Pictures taken with an Olympus D-450 digital camera through a Swarovski HD80 spotting scope.
All photos © Kevin J. McGowan
Click on the photos for a larger version.
If this was the only look we had had, it would have been an easy ID: 2nd winter Glaucous Gull. It was a large chunky gull, larger than Herring, with a very flat head, relatively short bicolored bill, pale mantle and pale secondaries.
The confusing element was that (when the crow gets out of the way) the primaries are black! Note also that the secondaries are dusky, something else that a real glaucous Gull wouldn't have.
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