maxkewlbirder1998s bestämningar

Last two photos taken earliest description from ebird checklist. Beautiful hooded, dark-eyed, gull with pied bill red eye ring, medium dark mantle, red feet and Sabines style triangle wings. Seen with MOB in the gull flock at San Gregorio Beach. When I arrived the bird was sleeping around 30 feet away from the vast line of birders watching it. Maybe 5 minutes later the gull flock was flushed by a fisherman and the bird landed by a small sand cliff on the other side of the beach. After some discussion it was decided that the birders would walk along the wave line, careful not to flush the flock to get a better view of the bird. Once the bird was in clear view I was able to get maybe 15 seconds of viewing/ photographing before the flock was flushed again. This time I was able to clearly see the spectacular wing pattern of this bird as it flew maybe 10 feet away from me before landing back of the sand berm. Amazing bird and I feel blessed that it decided to stop in San Mateo County!!!