| Thayer's Gull 1st cycle (2CY), mid-January  2014, central California, US.  Picture: Amar Ayyash.Visit:  Amar's blog for many more images! Present flock of about >600 birds (170 1st cycles, 100 2nd cycles, 40 3rd cycles, 350 adults). Blackish bill, dark iris.First gen flight feathers; primaries  with  neat fringes confined to the tip 
        of each feather.
 Tertials have solidly brown centres, dense barring on upper and undertail coverts, tail most dark with some proximal vermiculation on outer rectrices.
 Typically scapulars 
        are three-tones: pale brown centre, dark sub-terminal line and pale fringe (worn scaps in this bird).
 
 |