It looks like this bird won't be able to be identified, at least from the
photos that I got. The first two photos, which had the primaries stretched
out, after review, turned out to be of a different bird, which was an
American Herring Gull. Cook Inlet Gull (Glacous-winged X American Herring)
is ruled out by the head being streaked, where Glaucous-winged would be
more smudgy. I am pretty confident that this bird has a dark eye. I
attached a couple more photos from different angles to the list
<https://ebird.org/checklist/S297335547>. Dark-eyed *Smithsonianus *do
occasionally occur. Here <https://ebird.org/atlaspa/checklist/S289440230> is a great example of a Vega-type Gull that ended up being Smith due mainly
to a lighter mantle and the lack of the string of pearls pattern, which is
another key mark of adult Vega. I don't think the mantle color can be
honestly judged from my photos due to the lighting conditions. Overall, the
dark eye, larger tercial crescent and secondary skirt, brighter pink legs,
head streaking, and bill are what make this bird intriguing for Vega, but
unless someone else gets an open wing shot, and a comparison shot with
other gulls for the mantle, it won’t be identified.
Although Vega would currently be a first state record, Andy Bankert
recently found a promising Vega candidate while reviewing old photos (
https://ebird.org/checklist/S50449398), which has been submitted to the
COBRC.
One more quick aside- Alvaro Jaramillo has a great video
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4ku5Urn3rQ&t=1435s> on the identification
of adult Vega Gulls if folks are interested in learning more about the
topic.
Happy birding!
Archer Silverman
Denver, CO
On Wed, Feb 4, 2026 at 8:59 AM David Hyde <davidhyde1951...> wrote:
> I'm no gull expert. This looks like a regular Herring gull to me (
> *Smithsonianus*). If you look in the Nat. Geographic field guide (6th
> edition) page 225 you will see the wingtip pattern in your photographs
> shown for Herring gull breeding adult next to the *vegae* illustration.
> They look similar. The three differences between the two seem to be
> (acccording to NG): *vegae* has a slightly darker mantle, a dark eye, and
> streaked head in winter. From your photos we can't tell if the mantle is
> 'slightly darker', the head is streaked, on zooming in on your photos the
> eye looks like it might be pale. A tough call
>
> On Wed, Feb 4, 2026 at 7:38 AM Patricia Cullen <hathcockcolorado...>
> wrote:
>
>> So has anyone chased this interesting gull? Eye appears too dark for
>> HEGU.
>> Is it a hybrid GWGU/HEGU or a VEGU? Would that be a state record VEGU?
>> I don't see any new eBird reports for south side of Lake Pueblo studying
>> this gull so far.
>> Have Colorado gull experts weighed in on this one?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Pat Cullen
>> Longmont, CO
>>
>> On Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 6:37:39 PM UTC-7 Archer Silverman wrote:
>>
>>> Earlier this evening Sean Huntley and I had a candidate Vega Gull on the
>>> tires at the South Pueblo Marina. The bird displayed field marks like the
>>> broader white trailing edge to the wing, darkish eye, and wing pattern, but
>>> we still have to review the photos a bit more in depth. We’ll send to
>>> experts and see what they say. It would be great if someone could refind
>>> this bird and get a full spread wing shot.
>>>
>>> Archer Silverman
>>> Denver
>>>
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