Mew/Common Gull — Monaca, Beaver County; March 13, 2011. Photos by Geoff Malosh. This bird was found by Mark Vass. Note the unmarked, yellow bill, the dark eye, the dark smudges on the neck, the large amount of white on the outermost primaries, and the broad, white trailing edge on the secondaries.

This report was originally submitted as Mew “Common” Gull (Larus canus canus) but the subspecific identification could not be determined by the majority of the Committee therefore the report was accepted as a Mew/Common Gull which is a major find in its own right. There have been three previous accepted records of Mew Gull all thought to be Common Gulls, a rare but regular vagrant to eastern North America.

Again, note the unmarked, yellow bill, the dark eye, the dark smudges on the neck, the large amount of white on the outermost primaries, and the broad, white trailing edge on the secondaries.

Note the darker mantle and the difference in the wingtip pattern compared to the accompanying Ring-billed Gull.

Note the unmarked, yellow bill, the dark eye, the dark smudges on the neck, and the darker mantle compared to the surrounding Ring-billed Gulls.