Thayer's-ish Gull
Marquette, Michigan
October 17, 2009
This looks like the first bird from 10/15/09 ( primary pattern, mantle pattern, secondary bar boldness, ect) and definitely different from the second bird on 10/15/09 (different primary pattern and completly different mantle appearance, ect). After looking through all my pictures of the 10/15/09 birds, I am confident there were two birds and that this bottom bird is likely the first bird on that date.
At first I was all for this bird being a Thayer's, with the dark primaries, secondary bar, solid tail band, ect. After some discussion it was pointed out that the tertials are a bit more checkered than "normal" and it is a checkered bird overall. I think it could still fall within the range of Thayer's, but the tertials are something to look at...
