Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2002 13:15:49 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Peter Mann Subject: Perplexing gull - help needed MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I was at Bombay Hook this morning (I realize it's not Maryland, but I live nearby, and I know there are serious gull experts on MDOsprey) Anyway, this bird was out in the mudflats at Shearness on the bayside). It was medium to large (just a bit smaller than the Herring gulls nearby) and was pure white - head, body, wings - both when it sat and flew) with black legs and a mostly black beak. Could I have seen an Ivory gull? Is that possible ( my heart flutters just thi8nking about it) How about an albino Herring - but should the legs and bill be black on an albino bird? I'm stumped. Years ago, when I was a veterinary student, we were taught, "When you hear hoofbeats, don't think zebras" So, not wanting to start a RZS (rare zebra stampede), I await your advice and answers... Thanks Peter Mann Galena, MD ----- ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================