Posted by John Boyd on February 09, 2004 at 21:49:51:
In Reply to: _intermedius_ Lesser Black-backed Gull posted by Bill Pranty on February 09, 2004 at 20:09:51:
Unlike the birds usually discussed on ID-Frontiers, I don't think this is a difficult call. It is clearly an intermedius LBB Gull that is almost in adult summer plumage. That explains the mostly white head (already molted) and the combined red and black on the bill (not yet fully changed). Grant mentions the combination of red and black as likely indicating a 4th winter bird.
Although not all of the photos reveal the true shade of the mantle, the ones with other Laughing Gulls in the picture show this bird is too dark to be a graellsii. A graellsii would not be significantly darker than a Laughing Gull. The contrast between wingtips and mantle rules out L. f. fuscus. Structurally, it's consistent with LBB (e.g., long wings, head shape, bill).
These seem to be showing up in Miami-Dade in the last few years.
On Jan. 19 I saw an intermedius off Virginia Key...probably the same bird Robin has seen.
There was also a probable intermedius at Dump Marsh in Dec. 2001.