Fear No Gulls!

That’s exactly what I hope to do someday – fear no gulls. Right now, I do.

Oh not as much as I once did. Not long ago, any time I saw a gull it was recorded as “Gull sp.” Well, maybe not any time. I mean, Heermann’s Gulls are not too difficult to identify; after all, they’re not white with dark wings – so that pretty much makes them stand out in a crowd of white, dark winged birds. Greater Black-backed Gulls aren’t too much of a problem either. Just look for a gull the size of a Volkswagen and it’s very likely to be one.

Unfortunately, most gulls I encounter on a daily basis are neither Heermann’s (I’m usually too far from the Pacific Ocean) or Greater Black-backed (I’m just as usually even farther from the Atlantic Ocean). Most of the gulls in my life are Western, California, Herring, Thayer’s, Ring-billed, Glaucous-winged, or Mew, with a few others appearing now and again in cameo roles. Take this lot and mix them up, adding in the fact that more than likely they will not be seen in their definitive plumage, or worse, that they will be a hybrid of one form or another, and you can understand why anyone would develop a case of lariphobia.

Thus, in a fit of sobriety I made a new year’s resolution this year to face my fear once and for all, and to improve my abilities in gull identification. No easy task, this. The reference guides themselves offer mostly reasons to be wary of gulls – depicting some but not all of the many possible plumage variations of gulls in their seemingly endless stages of development from fledgling to adult, then inserting helpful little notes indicating that all that you are reading may be completely incorrect if it is actually a hybrid you are observing, and as hybridization is rather common among many species of gulls…

It’s enough to drive one away form coastlines and rubbish tips for good.

What’s more, even the experts are often confused. I won’t name names or point fingers, but it wasn’t so very long ago that a major publisher of ornithological literature had to recall the entire first edition of what was touted as the definitive guide to gulls due to so many erroneous identifications of species and stages of development in the various illustrations and photos of the work. What possible hope does an amateur have?

Which is exactly why my heart gladdened when I read of the forthcoming release of a guide that I have strong hope will help guide my fellow lariphobes and I out of the darkness and an into understanding of the way of the gull. Two gentlemen whom it has been my previous pleasure to meet and venture forth with (as well as forthwith) into the field have written a new guide to gulls: The Peterson Reference Guides: Gulls of the Americas by Jon Dunn and Steve N.G. Howell. Messrs Dun and Howell are two of the finest field bird watchers and guides in the business. If anyone can make these cryptic creatures intelligible (gulls that is, not Jon and Steve) it is going to be them.

The book is scheduled for release “soon” according to the folks at Houghton Mifflin. Rumor has it that “soon” in this case translates to early this summer. I’ve already placed an order with LuAnn at St. Helens Book Shop, my friendly local bookseller.

All are welcome regardless of their phobias.

Peace and good bird watching.