Possible Pacific Gull at Miranda

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ledzep
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Possible Pacific Gull at Miranda

Postby ledzep » Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:54 pm

Experienced birders from the UK currently staying at Rays Rest camp site near Miranda report a second winter Pacific Gull. They have photos but can't get them off the camera whilst travelling. Dusky head, black tip to thick bill, broad black tail band, grey legs. Seen late afternoon Mon 10th June, they will check with Shorebird centre tomorrow morning. Anyone else in the region may like to check it out and confirm it isn't a Juvenile LBBG.
Grahame
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Re: Possible Pacific Gull at Miranda

Postby Grahame » Tue Jun 11, 2019 9:57 am

I am tied up today, but have just received the following email from Paul G

I'm at Miranda, having followed-up the Pacific Gull report from yesterday. Great bit of reporting by the UK visitors and Duncan for posting it so quickly before the observers had moved on!
Alas, the bird in the photos isn't a Pacific Gull. In fact, it's a quite slim male 2nd-winter Black-Backed. But it does have an unusually plain grey 'hood' that almost makes it look like a Great Black-Headed Gull. But the bill is fine and small.
So, excitement over. But what a fine example of good information posting!! Thanks a million to Roger & Jean for informing Duncan, and to Duncan for getting the news out so quickly.

Brill, thanks guys.

Cheers, Grahame
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sav
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Re: Possible Pacific Gull at Miranda

Postby sav » Tue Jun 11, 2019 12:18 pm

But what a fine example of good information posting!! Thanks a million to Roger & Jean for informing Duncan, and to Duncan for getting the news out so quickly.


Hear hear!!


cheers
Sav Saville
Wrybill Birding Tours, NZ
Great Birds, Real Birders
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David Riddell
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Re: Possible Pacific Gull at Miranda

Postby David Riddell » Thu Jul 25, 2019 2:50 pm

On the subject of strange-looking black-backed gulls, the bird below at Waikorea Beach yesterday had me going for a bit. The dark-hooded appearance caught my eye, plus the dark spot on the bill, and it seemed a bit bigger than the black-backed gulls it was with. But eventually I decided it had to be a black-back moulting into adult plumage - the bill's the wrong shape for Pacific, and the black on the bill isn't right at the tip. And the gulls varied in size significantly when I really started looking. But I figure Waikorea is exactly the kind of place a Pacific gull might turn up (wild and remote west coast beach), so I live in hope!
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Clinton9
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Re: Possible Pacific Gull at Miranda

Postby Clinton9 » Mon Jul 29, 2019 11:36 pm

Pacific gulls have oval nostrils while Kelp gull have stilt nostrils, plus Kelp gulls were very wary birds.

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