Here are a series of images for your entertainment. I take no responsibility for any emotional distress, frustration, etc, you may come to feel after exposure to these identification quandaries. These are gulls afterall :-)
SEE Ohio Birding News page for recent Mew Gull photos
A dark-backed, yellow-legged, thick-billed, Herring Gull-sized bird at Lorain Harbor, Lorain Co. OH on 10 March 2001: ID uncertain.
Photographer comments: Briefly it was Herring Gull-sized, but was very bulky. The mantle was black
and there was little if any difference between the mantle and the black in
the primary tips. The legs were a a fairly bright yellow. The head was
fairly clear with just a few scattered flecks. The eye was pale with a red
orbital ring. The bill was yellow with a large red spot. The bill was
fairly thick with a noticeable gonydeal angle. The folded primary trips
showed four small white tips and the underside of the outer primary had a
large white spot when in flight. The legs were fairly thick and the feet
large. The wings were not long as in Lesser Black-backed and thus did not
have the attenuated rear when sitting - John Pogacnik.
Photos courtesy John Pogacnik
: Select the individual photo for the uncropped original image.
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A faintly dark-mantled Herring Gull-type (adult)- from Headlands Beach State Park 11 March 2001: proposed ID - nominate L. a. argentatus Herring Gull (as opposed to the American smithsonianus)
Photographer comments: This bird looked like a large Herring-type with a slightly darker mantle,
extensive white wing tips, and a bulky head and bill. The head was large
and bulky with some minor head streaking. The eye was pale with a red
orbital ring. The bill was thick, yellow, with a large red spot. The
folded primary tips had extensive white spots and the outer primary had a
large white spot. In flight the amount of white was extensive in the
primaries. The legs were pinkish but did have some yellow overtones. - John Pogacnik
Photos courtesy John Pogacnik
: Select the individual photo for the uncropped original image.
bird in question in the upper left
A more intriguing Herring Gull - a 1st year bird this time from Conneaut Harbor 12 March 2001: Proposed ID - again argenteus Herring Gull
Photographer comments: It is an immature bird and it looks a lot like Larus argentatus argenteus.
The coarser back pattern and the narrow tail band rather than dark tail are
a couple things in its favor. It appeared on the small side also.
I'm guessing this bird and the bird from Headlands on Sunday could
conceivably fit odd American Herrings, but its interesting none the less.
Photos courtesy John Pogacnik
ID uncertain: J.P. proposed possible California Gull. Appropriate comments by Steve Hampton and Phil Pickering highlight difficulties with that ID especially bill structure. The gull nearby is a Ring-billed Gull if that is any help.
Photos courtesy John Pogacnik
