Up until just recently, it had been very quiet on the gull front around here. There was just the occasional bird seen from time to time and earlier in the year, there were a number of non-breeding gulls around (mostly 2nd summer individuals but also a few adults too). But during July, I began seeing more and more gulls coming through mostly following the river in from the Deleware. These were for the most part adults and when I spotted a few gulls across the river in a nearby park the other morning, I went over to take a look. Surprisingly they were mostly Laughing Gulls with a few Ring-billed Gulls also seen. The study of an adult was one of 3 that I saw and had already started its moult as can be seen by the white feathers coming in on its chin and a subtle darkening of the bill. The eye ring was still quite red but beginning its transition to dark. The plumage was faded and worn. but I noticed a new inner primary on each wing just coming in.
The bird above was a second adult that I did studies of. Very faded and worn plumage with the primaries and secondaries looking ragged. This one is obviously quite a bit further ahead of the other with its moult. The bill too is much darker and will eventually be almost completely black with usually just the tip on the upper mandible red. The eye ring has also faded and is now a dark grey. Within a month or so, the head will be almost completely white with just a smudge of black behind the eye. These studies done on Grumbacher watercolor paper, sizes about 6 x 9 inches.
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