A Western gull on its nest with a chick to its side. The full is facing left. It is mostly white with grey on the back of its wings and a bright orange hooked beak. Its eye is yellow. The chick is on the ground to the left of the adult gull, looking straight forward. It is grey with black spots. The nest is in a small lower spot than the ground around it. In the background are trees on the left and sky on the right.

Western gull and chick. #WesternGull #LarusOccidentalis #Gull #Seagull #Bird #Chick #Animal #Nature #Photography #AlcatrazIsland #SanFrancisco #California

Hundreds of Larus gulls in flight and on the ground, foraging for food scraps on trash mountain. Landfills have become well-trodden stopover locations for Larus species of the west coast, used by both resident Olympic Gulls and migratory Glaucous-winged Gulls and Cook Inlet hybrids from as far north as southern Alaska, perhaps further. These generalists also spend time foraging in nearby farm fields and Boundary Bay.

Landfill frenzy.
(Delta BC, December 14 2025)

#birds #birding #christmasbirdcount #larus #larusthayeri #larusglaucescens #larusglaucoides #larusglaucoidesthayeri #larusoccidentalis #glaucouswingedgull #westerngull #olympicgull #thayersgull #cookinletgull #americanherringgull #larussmithsonianus 🪶

An Olympic Gull (Western x Glaucous-winged hybrid) about to take flight with a clump of moss in its bill. Grass pulling is an intraspecific behaviour indicating aggressive intent to nearby trespassers, "This is what I will do to you." I have seen gulls pull grass, moss, garbage, leaf litter and dock lines--whatever loose objects or materials are within grabbing distance.

Moss (not grass) pulling.
(Vancouver BC, Dec 6 2025)

#birds #birding #olympicgull #glaucouswingedgull #westerngull #larusoccidentalis #larusglaucescens #larus #gulls #seagulls #gullable #gullible 🪶

An adult Olympic Gull (Western x Glaucous-winged hybrid) stands on some park grass, bejewelled with black and blue bands on the left leg, and blue and metal bands on the right. Report coloured gull bands in the Pacific Northwest region to the Salish Sea Gull Project: https://salishseagullproject.shinyapps.io/submit-observation-form/

Banded Olympic Gull.
(Vancouver BC, Dec 2 2025.)

#birds #birding #gulls #seagulls #olympicgull #glaucouswingedgull #westerngull #larusglaucescens #larusoccidentalis 🪶

A young Olympic Gull (Western Gull x Glaucous-winged Gull hybrid) stands on the edge of an urban water feature, with water frothing from a fountain behind. This bird is starting to replace body feathers in the 1st prealternate (prebreeding) moult. The Lower Mainland is right above the intersection of the breeding ranges of Glaucous-winged Gull to the north and Western Gull to the south. The resulting hybrid swarm produces a vast array of phenotypes--birds with a unique set of characteristics--as multiple generations of mixed gulls interbreed.

Overlooked Olympic Gull.
(Vancouver BC, Sept 23 2025)

#birding #birds #gulls #seagulls #gullable #gullible #olympicgull #westerngull #glaucouswingedgull #larusoccidentalisxglaucescens #larusoccidentalis #larusglaucescens 🪶

Olympic Gull feeding its young.

#birds #birding #gulls #seagulls #gullable #olympicgull #glaucouswingedgull #westerngull #larusglaucescens #larusoccidentalis 🪶

Adult long calling as partner arrives to feed young.

Juvenile pecks at parent's bill to encourage regurgitation.

Adult feeds nestlings some mystery flesh.

Adult and juveniles look my way.

Olympic type Gulls in the thick of child-rearing season.

#birds #birding #gulls #seagulls #gullable #olympicgull #glaucouswingedgull #westerngull #larusglaucescens #larusoccidentalis 🪶

Olympic Gull with an interesting iris colour. The pinkish orbital is mixed with yellow, which is presumed to be a Western Gull trait.

#birds #gulls #seagulls #olympicgull #glaucouswingedgull #westerngull #larusglaucescens #larusoccidentalis 🪶

One of the only "pure" Glaucous-winged Gulls I have encountered lately, with paler primaries than typical hybrids.

Olympic Gull standing on a rock. Notice the contrast between the newer 1st alternate body feathers and worn 1st basic wing panel and flight feathers.

Olympic Gull with dark primaries and checkered wing panel. Notice the greyer 1st alternate feathers.

Olympic Gull caught in direct sunlight. The new 1st alternate scapulars (feathers on back) stand out from older upperwing coverts below.

Glaucous-winged Gull types, many of which have started moulting primaries as part of the 2nd prebasic (postbreeding) moult.

#birds #birding #gulls #seagulls #glaucouswingedgull #westerngull #olympicgull #gullable #larusglaucescens #larusoccidentalis #larusoccidentalisxlarusglaucescens 🪶

Early 3rd cycle Olympic Gull (Western Gull x Glaucous-winged Gull hybrid) in flight. Inner 3 primaries shed and or growing, kicking off the 3rd prebasic (postbreeding) moult. Grey scapular and covert feathers are 2nd alternate (breeding).

Early 3rd cycle Olympic Gull.

Inner 3 primaries shed and or growing, kicking off the 3rd prebasic (postbreeding) moult.

Grey scapular and covert feathers are 2nd alternate (breeding).

#birds #seagulls #gulls #larusglaucescens #larusoccidentalis #olympicgull #glaucouswingedgull #westerngull

Olympic Gull hybrid standing on an apartment rooftop. Superficially resembles Glaucous-winged Gull, but primary tips too dark; also has pale yellowish on orbital ring, which may suggest Western influence, but an unreliable characteristic.

Olympic Gull (Glaucous-winged Gull x Western Gull).

Year-round residents or short-distance migrants, averaging larger than "pure" Glaucous-winged Gulls from the north.

#birds #olympicgull #glaucouswingedgull #westerngull #larusoccidentalisxlarusglaucescens #larusglaucescens #larusoccidentalis 🪶

A Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) hanging out on a coastal cliff before the incoming sunset.

Photographed in San Diego County, CA
April 2021

#westerngull #larusoccidentalis #zoology #ornithology #california #sandiegocounty #coast #wildlifephotography #canon 🪶