Hi Everyone,

Now that I'm home I was able to look at Howell and Dun.  While this book
was not particularly helpful, there was nothing to disqualify this bird as
a Slaty-backed Gull. Only one photo is of an adult breeding bird and the
legs are not as bright pink as that photo but they are in the range of the
other photos.  Also the parallel bill shape and pale gondeal spot match
along with the pattern of white in the primaries

 John Pogacnik suggested HEGU x GBBG, and looking at the pictures, that
does not fit. Also this bird is barely the size of the 2nd and 3rd year
Herring Gulls nearby.  John Herman suggests HEGU x LBBG and that does not
look right either.  This bird is just too clean. It would seem to me that a
hybrid with a larger bird would be in between the 2 species in size, but my
knowledge of gull hybridization borders on ignorance

Although I did not have a camera, I was able to study this bird from as
close as 30 feet and all I can say is: If you lined up pictures of
dark mantled, adult plumage, gulls, I would pick Slaty-backed.  I have no
prior experience with this species so I cannot make the call with absolute
certainty

I hope others go out to look at this very interesting bird.  Given the
uncertain history of this bird in Ohio, it will be interesting to hear what
others think.

BTW in case you don't realize, this bird is being found at the end of the
Conneaut sand spit, it is usually on the sand bar about 30 feet from the
beach.

Haans

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