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faded summer Glaucous-winged Gulls Many would look at these white primaries and call these Glaucous or Iceland Gulls. On these birds, note the bill shape with its large gonydeal bulge. Glaucous have large bills too, but rather straight and not so blob-ended. Icelands have thin petite bills. Most importantly, note the spring dates on these birds.

Fig 1) This is a second summer bird (photo May 4 in Santa Barbara, CA by Don DesJardin, copyright 1998), as evidenced by the adult gray on the back. Second summer Glaucous should have a pale eye by then, as well as lighter gray on the back. Also, the black on the bill comes in along the cutting edge more than usual for Glaucous. This bird was Quiz Gull #5, and a full discussion can be found there.

Fig 2) This is a first summer bird photographed on May 24, 2002 at Bodega Bay, CA (by Ron Storey, copyright 2002). Note the all dark bill with the blob-ended tip. Glaucous Gulls do not show a bill with this color or shape. Birds like this are not unusual along the northern California coast in summer.

Fig 4) This ratty looking guy was found Sept 4, 2000 on a Monterey Bay pelagic trip. Note the large bill with a bulbous tip. It is not unusual for Gl-W Gulls to keep all black bills into their second winter. Photo by John Sorensen, copyright 2000.

Fig 5) The same bird as Fig 4. Note the very worn primaries, just about to be moulted. This general appearance with the dark and white bands on the wings is fairly typical for summer Glaucous-winged Gulls. Photo by John Sorensen, copyright 2000.