Kamchatka Gull
Today I was daydreaming of gulls with yellow legs…Black-tailed, Lesser Black-backed…and then this guy appeared.
Kamchatka (Mew) Gull Larus canus kamtschatschensis, western Bering Sea, 29 July 2009.
This Kamchatka Gull was the prize of the day. It quietly appeared on the ship late in the day and stayed with us for about an hour. It’s a rare stray to western Alaska. Today’s sighting was technically in Alaskan waters, but just barely, as we were roughly 170 miles west of St. Matthew Island (AK) and only 150 miles south east of Cape Navarin on the Russian coast. Kamchatka Gull is separated from Mew Gull L. c. brachyrhynchus by its darker gray mantle, larger size, longer and thicker bill, and longer legs. Kamchatka Gull also has more extensive black in the wing tips (especially P8) than Mew Gull.
Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus (sitting) with Vega (Herring) Gull Larus argentatus vegae (flying), Bering Sea, 26 July 2009.
Both Slaty-backed and Vega Gulls have been fairly common the last few days at sea and we’ve had a great study opportunities as they rest on the ship and take laps around it.
Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus, western Bering Sea, 29 July 2009.
This individual appears smallish and round-headed for the species (especially when compared with the previous photo) and is likely a female. However, the angle of the bird also contributes to its foreshortened appearance. It is separated from Vega Gull by its darker mantle which barely contrasts with the black primary tips, broader white trailing edge to the wing, thicker-based bill, and pale yellow eye.
Vega (Herring) Gull Larus argentatus vegae, western Bering Sea, 29 July 2009.
Vega Gulls have darker gray mantles, darker pink legs, and darker eyes, than North American Herring Gulls L. a. smithsonianus. Eye color, however, in Vega Gulls can vary from light yellow flecked with brown to dark brown. This bird is at the pale end of the eye-color spectrum, but is still probably darker than most American Herring Gulls.
The line-up, left t0 right: Vega, Slaty-backed, Vega, Slaty-backed. Western Bering Sea, 29 July 2009.
A nice comparison of mantle shades on these four gulls. Note the size difference between the two Vega Gulls. Based on size the larger left-hand Vega is likely a male and the smaller Vega a female.
Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus, western Bering Sea, 29 July 2009.
Keeping all these gulls on their toes, several Pomarine Jaegers have checked out the ship each day.
I’ve taken many more photos in the last few days of these species including lots of shots of immature birds and flight shots. When I sort through all of them (which could take a while) I’ll post more on the gull pages of this site.
