So I'm taking a break from the large white-headed gulls to show you Little Gull. This is one of my favorite gulls. These photos were taken on an overcast, snowy day this past February, so please excuse the slightly off focus and mediocre lighting on some of them.
 |
| First cycle Little Gull. Note black ulnar bars creating M on upperparts, light gray mantle and scapulars, slate-colored cap, and dark black carpal patch. Size, although not obvious here, is smaller than Boneparte's and Black-headed Gulls. Feb. 2011, Dunkirk, NY [Photo by Lukas Musher] |
 |
| First cycle Little Gull. Note wing pattern (as above), short tail, short, relatively straight bill, and rounded wings. Feb. 2011, Dunkirk, NY [Photo by Lukas Musher |
 |
| First cycle Little Gull. Note shape, structure, and pattern of upperparts same as above. Feb. 2011, Dunkirk, NY [Photo by Lukas Musher] |
 |
| Adult Little Gull. Note structure same as above. gray upperparts with pale wingtips. Feb 2011, Dunkirk, NY [Photo by Lukas Musher] |
 |
| Adult Little Gull. Note, underwing pattern distinctive, all black. No other North American gull shows this combination of pale upperparts and dark underwing. Wings rounded, bill short and straight. Feb. 2011, Dunkirk, NY [Photo by Lukas Musher] |
By Luke Musher
No comments:
Post a Comment