Another 1st cycle Herring with white bases to the outer rectrices:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDLgVS6qJhIho9VvCqDLRz_Shicy74ZCDAtjxf1FnmCjJ7FQZjvkYcobPqTAqLVOvu1T0m-woerg6s3elrgLS5Ns9eccqssM7qPEe9hqMnpYzSrEZ2zg4LqI7jUVFUf3KetcFyZo8YZen/s640/DSC_7424.JPG) |
(1) Lake County, Illinois. 27 November 2015. |
I don't intentionally go looking for these odd Herrings, but they're hard to ignore when they get in my line of sight.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMTc-lmgZm2QpyxZg4jmC3PY35_gjqjx2gOc3yc3i91uHZvGRl18__D7R_ZJ4znz0IyF5K7ztS6_jwieT1y5DWGMOXX0DIVMQxoRSUJOGg29_xK_KFarMwsag4-bhCyMomLD2xZERq3uo/s640/DSC_7408.JPG) |
(2) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcGUhlEouO1qC_OkYZSwOsX0Fl6L1NTC2blTh1TcKq6Wq-B_9I8Y4wkkQJPn1Sp7Nk36CHu55V-KqxWK3VyVxaRBEhcJDZDnXBKp_UXYp-Hj6IBZsrwj-vAyovFOzlp5YMZjUYn7ESIwC/s640/DSC_7405.JPG) |
(3) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijLOlvwOLakpgjZ-5KsS_3V-F0hzQDUG9Qv5wid53hq5pD3CoH_2-fZoJfH0t8R6JMhTRGy_oGu2lGouusACo78RCkACKHCxBu-jmcT1NaQQ7ToQ4MApUFReUoQefwEzWNI_rkp2JN1D6/s640/DSC_7406.JPG) |
(4) |
Whether this tail pattern represents an extreme end for American Herring, or is truly representative of something "else" is still out of my reach. I heard Vega & Euro Herg tossed around loosely after posting these pics on Facebook. I've never been one to try to label a foreign-looking bird before trying to eliminate the most expected species. The fact that I encounter these tail patterns with some regularity is most fascinating.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqUu57RahIEQphdVodqyCfKK_v6Av-ggxMRPqnYn9BRraL679klBch0emu9C0tupkkkPoG52A4LS-_Wc8ZetduKg2_JPOSbBGp4P7n6DqTpz2uKvk6lH7dGFCYzxbYOFcqW2G6Kc2269C/s640/DSC_7385.JPG) |
(5) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFmuRgqIlnSvfnGcbQdnDabuQw5YcPpHLlvARN7cmlML4hs3BtNrvP3UbNkMo9W8k7U5HeKwVzkkKAfRDZMlVMYKeC-PO8Uonze3zOW3AIhUkAHYb09GB1CW10ygmT5sTXaKPpkm9Tomq/s640/DSC_7420.JPG) |
(6) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyCwq1ofRRHXwE0yUxQR5ul0IbjheUFuZ56CB0Dy-W60XkvGj395UVv2Xj3aV0qqdD8tvmrS1Yk9NVcToBTtQTqg60f54vo6_IhXXqsvC8GXtffAaeAizCyxBZPBX4d7xCXIJwEhU7vQe/s640/DSC_7398.JPG) |
(7) |
The plumage aspect, renewed scaps, bleaching head and pale bill base is similar to one of my local resident Herrings (as opposed to a crisp "Northern" hatch year bird). For now, I'll continue to collect these images and hope they'll one day shed some light on Herrings across North America. I mentioned recently that much of our identifications will remain mysterious until we get gull enthusiasts side-by-side with biologists/ornithologists in the breeding colonies!