Age and ID#1?

[Arthur Morris]

Photographed at Nickerson Beach 6/25/10.

[Dan Brown]

My guess (after consulting "Gulls of the Americas") is an advanced second cycle Lesser Black-back Gull:o

[Ilija Dukovski]

I agree with Dan,
Yellow legs, red gape, red orbital ring, yellow iris,
dark gray wing coverts, red spot on the bill all point to LBBG.
The age however is bit more problematic. The red bill spot
seems to indicate that this is 3rd year bird. The primaries however
have no white spots at all. Bit confusing but I'd say 3rd year.

There is a slight chance this to be a Black-tailed but I have never seen
a Black tailed before. It would be interesting to hear other opinions about this.

Cheers,

[Ilija Dukovski]

Artie, do you have a photo with the tail visible. A white edge on the black tail
would decide if it is Black-tailed or not.

[Ilija Dukovski]

Nice article, look at image #9, apparently the primaries on 3rd year Western
sub-species of LBBG have no white tips :) (unlike Continental and Baltic):

http://www.gull-research.org/papers/14muusse.pdf