Saltair Gulls

["Colby Neuman" <scythebill83 at hotmail dot com>]

I found a couple of interesting gulls mixed in with a small flock of 
California, Thayer's and Herrings just to the northeast of the marina at 
Saltair along the lakeshore.  There was a first-winter Glaucous-winged Gull. 
  This bird was a little odd with an especially pale head, but the rest of 
the bird seemed to fit a pure bird.  I also came across a possible 
second-winter Nelson's Gull (a Glaucous X Herring hybrid).  However, not 
very much is known about the typical plumages that this hybrid exhibits 
during its life.  So here is a brief summary of the bird I saw today...from 
a distance the bicolored bill (similar to that of a first-winter Glaucous) 
and an almost completely white head (had just a few pale brown smudges on 
it) stood out.  The bird also had a pale eye.  The largely white head gave 
way to various mixtures of very pale brown smudges on the lower breast and 
belly.  The scapulars and coverts were largely white (some sets of feathers 
had various other markings).  However, the primaries were significantly 
darker than the rest of the bird eliminating a pure Glaucous bird.  The 
primaries also had noticeable pale crescents.  Anyway, this isn't a bird 
that goes on a "list", but I'm not sure it has ever been documented in Utah. 
  I tried taking some photos, but I doubt they will turn out.  I have no 
experience with this hybrid so I could be way off on this bird.  I saw the 
bird from about 1 to 2 and 3:30-4 before it flew off heading towards Saltair 
(the building).  Also it is important to note that gulls are moving in and 
out of this flock at Saltair regularly.  I had been to Saltair twice (in the 
last week and a half) before today and did not see either of these gulls.  
So it may not be all bad for people to check this flock regularly throughout 
the winter.  Maybe someone will find our long over due Slaty-backed Gull or 
Great Black-backed Gull.  As always...

THE BEST OF GOOD BIRDING!!!

Colby Neuman
scythebill83@hotmail.com
crn23@cornell.edu



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