slaty-backed gull??

[jwm]

I spent several hours yesterday observing the potential Slaty-backed Gull at the foot of Brock St. in Whitby.  Met only a couple of other birders while there.  I'm astonished that there is no discussion here on this bird.   The last OntBird posting concluded that it was merely a LBBG, but it can't be that simple...leg colour is absolutely wrong for that.

So what is it?  No one here has gone to see it?

John

[Reuven_M]

Does anyone know if there are any pictures of it online?

[mr.sharp-photo]

I spent several hours yesterday observing the potential Slaty-backed Gull at the foot of Brock St. in Whitby.  Met only a couple of other birders while there.  I'm astonished that there is no discussion here on this bird.   The last OntBird posting concluded that it was merely a LBBG, but it can't be that simple...leg colour is absolutely wrong for that.

So what is it?  No one here has gone to see it?

John

i was going to go yesterday, but the light was tricky and, frankly, i ran out of time birding elsewhere.
and i always find there to be a huge disconnect between OntBird and here. OntBird tends to spread bird news much faster than this website (for whatever reason)

[jwm]

Ontbird does indeed move pretty quickly...people are posting from their smartphones with one hand, and holding their binoculars up to their eyes with the other!  Frankly, I don't bother coming here too often for that reason.  In this case, I thought that a rarity like SBG would attract a lot of attention and discussion.  I guess not, at least not on this site.

Craig M. posted that there were some good photos taken of the bird yesterday, and suggested that they would be discussed and analyzed by local experts and a conclusion reached.   I'm sure that has happened...I'm just not sure how to find out the results.

In any case, I think that the bird is well worth seeing.  If it is a SBG that would be a nice lifer for a lot of, maybe most, people.  It's quite distinctive and unless it's hidden behind other birds (there are several hundred gulls present) you will know it when you see it.  When I was there it spent the bulk of its time tucked in.  I watched it preen for a short time, but mostly I was looking at it just hoping that it would spread its wings or at least walk around a bit.

If anyone has anything interesting to add about this bird, or can point out another website that has some discussion of current local birds and birding, I would greatly appreciate it.  Good luck if you go to see it.

John

[GStuart]

Speaking to one of those experts today, it seems that the bird is a LBBG x GBBG hybrid.  That's a cross between a Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Great Black-backed Gull, for those who want it written out in more than eight letters.

The bill is bright yellow with a red gonydeal spot [it should be a creamy yellow bill - I've forgotten what happens to the red spot in winter]; the legs are murky [should be bright pink]; there are only small mirrors on the end two primaries (P-10 and P-9), the trailing white on the remaining primaries is very small and the black tips blend into the mid-grey mantle [SBGU should be showing a "string of pearls"].  At least that's what I remember from a conversation this afternoon.

[silverfoxx]

Coincidently there is a similar debate going on in Massachusetts - but with photos
http://10000birds.com/slaty-backed-gull ... harbor.htm

[Craig McL]

the over all sise of the gull was smaller than a haring gull !! I hope to have photos sent to me
soon but the only stroung thing on thid bird was the eye and the bill ... not a noff

but thats what keeps us going to look

Craig

[jwm]

Thanks everyone for your interest.  Apparently it's not the lifer for which I was hoping, but that would have been too easy.

Craig, if you learn more from the photos you mentioned, please post here if you have the chance.  Thanks again.

John

[mark75]

I was the one who posted the potential slaty-back on Ontbirds last Friday. I think it had been reported earlier but it was really close for viewing last Friday. It was a tough ID with the light affecting the leg colour and the birds bobbing up and down on the ice. Still I thought it merited posting and I hoped others would be able to get out and use their expertise to provide a solid ID.

Photos can be found here: http://janicesbirdingblog.blogspot.com
Scroll down for the Jan. 29th entry.
These photos were examined by Jean Iron and she concluded it was a LBBG

Anyways, it was an interesting day and I would love to see more photos of the bird if anyone can post them here or elsewhere.

By the way, I hope everyone has also seen the Harlequin duck, a regular on the east side of the peir at Whitby Harbour

Cheers

Mark Jensen

[Reuven_M]

Thanks for the pics, and definitely a bird worth reporting, even of it turned out not so rare.

[jwm]

Yes, thanks to all for your responses.

John