Gull ID

[Dinusaur]

I decided to spend some time in identifying gulls in the field. However, they are not easy. Is the photo below of a Herring Gull or a 2nd cycle Ring-billed gull or a Lesser Black-backed Gull? Any help will be appreciated.

[attachment=0:3a6h8vhf]F20_9427c_01.JPG[/attachment:3a6h8vhf]

[thouc]

It has a gray mantle (wings), so Lesser Black-backed Gull can be eliminated.

The white spots on the tail indicate an adult bird. 3rd winter Herring Gull would also have more brown spotting on and mantle and not have as clean look as this one.

So I would say this is an adult Ring-billed Gull in winter plumage with fairly heavy head spotting.

Is that a Bald Eagle in the background?

/Thomas

[Dinusaur]

Thank you so much Thomas. When I reported this on eBird as Ring-billed gull it alerted me as a rare sighting for the location - I wanted to make sure. Yes, that was indeed a Bald Eagle at the background - it flew by when I was taking the photo of the gull, may be the Eagle had the gull as lunch in his mind.