All were photographed during the last week of January in Volusia County, Florida. 2018.
Keep in mind this region borders the southern range limits of wintering smithsonianus.
Let's begin with what I feel is a good candidate for 1st cycle Herring x Glaucous:
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Aside from the excessively pale upperparts, the wing projection is short and the primaries and rectrices show pale edges.
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The flight feathers are genuinely pale - not a result of bleaching.
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Size-wise, it towered over all the other Herrings with a muscular build and a large bi-colored bill. |
Below are birds that are a bit more problematic.
INDIVIDUAL #1:
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Perhaps another putative Herring x Glaucous. The face certainly gives a Glaucous impression. |
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The wing coverts have internal markings similar to a white-winger, and the innermost primaries show a blotchy marbling that is often associated with pale-winged gulls. |
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The pale subterminal bars on the rectrices and marbled centers to the greater coverts are interesting. The primaries and secondaries are a lighter brown recalling thayeri. |
INDIVIDUAL #3:
INDIVIDUAL #4:
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Not unheard of in smithsonianus, the tail band tapers toward the outer edges. However, such a tailband coupled with this individual's upperparts is noteworthy. |
Although some or all of these birds may be pure HERGs, to my eye, they appear alien and outside of my comfort zone. I should stress that our accepted limits of 1st cycle American Herrings has much greater consequences than simply understanding this age group. Whether we call birds that are this pale and this well patterned, smithsonianus, later has implications for how we view 2nd cycles. More on this age group soon.
I agree. It's very hard to believe this bird is smithsonianus. Whether it is from east Asia or western Europe, I can't say. -- Bob Lewis
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