Status Updates From The Gull Guide: North America

American Herring Gull
The country's most populous gull. Also, not that closely related to the European Herring Gull.
Look for: Basic white head and grey upperparts in adult alternative plumage. Red gonys spot on large bill. Also note the yellow iris and the fact that the AHG is the "only 4 cycle gull with pink legs, pale grey upperparts and black wingtips in the east."
10/10 would taxonomically confuse again.

Ring-Billed Gull
The most widespread gull in the US.
Look for: the bill. Adults have a sharply demarcated black ring with no red and no Gonys expansion. Juveniles have bicolored bills. Also note that they are smaller than Herring Gulls
10/10 will see this summer (I have no choice in the matter).

Today's Gull: Franklin Gull
Three-cycle Gull
A Gull that migrated through the interior of the United States and can often develop a rosy pink hue.
What to look for: In alternate, a hood with large, connected eye crescents. In basic, a semi-hood with similar eye crescents.Gull. for a grey wash on the tail. Also note the shorter legs and bill than the laughing gull.
10/10 would name a county after them.

Today's Gull: Bonaparte's Gull.
A two-cycle gull.
The continent's most widespread gull and the only one to nest in trees!
Look for: Black hood with white eye crescent for adults in alternate plumage, white head with an earspot during basic plumage. Wedge on the wing and a white headlight when looking from above. Also a black trailing edge above and below the wing.
Rating: 10/10 would let nest in a tree in my yard.

I'm so gull-pilled.

The goal is to read the general section and then just the local gulls for now. I may come back to it later when possible, but also, this book is super heavy.

Ok maybe I went overboard

yeah.........