December 14 - Perry Creek Gulls and Chum Salmon

I drove over to the mouth of Perry Creek to see what gulls might be congregated for the chum salmon run.  As I arrived, 3 immature bald eagles were just leaving, and the gulls were settling back down for their lunches.

Gulls at the mouth of Perry Creek

Perry Creek, along with McLane, Perkins, and Swift Creeks, furnishes the bulk of the fall chum that return to Eld Inlet.  The four creeks together have averaged an annual ‘escapement’ of about 45,000 adults over the past 5 years.  The bounty of fish eggs and fish carcasses is a big draw - and a huge source of protein - for gulls, eagles and ducks.

Feeding on a chum carcass - Yum!

The peak of the run into Perry Creek appears to be past, but there are still fish entering from Puget Sound, although none are “bright”.  Now, even the freshest fish are what the commercial fishermen refer to as “alligators”: pretty colored-up as they enter fresh water

Glaucous-winged gull contemplating live and dead salmon

I scanned the large flock of over 400 gulls and saw an immature gull with a bi-colored bill.  Oh, joy! I thought; it may be an immature Glaucous Gull, which is an uncommon visitor from the northlands.

The immature gull - 3rd from the left in the front row - has a bi-colored bill

But, the bird turned to show its side, and revealed itself to likely be ‘just’ a Glaucous-winged Gull.  Steve Howell’s book Gulls of the Americas notes that “… some (pure?) birds … have strongly bicolored bills, recalling Glaucous Gull."

Immature Glaucous-winged Gull with a bi-colored bill

There were mostly Glaucous-winged gulls in the flock, although there are always some hybrid Glaucous-winged X Western Gulls, told by their darker wingtips and mantles, combined with dusky head feathering.  These hybrid gulls are common enough here in south Puget Sound - especially during the salmon runs

"Olympic Gull" Showing dark wing-tips

The Western X Glaucous-winged Gull hybrid is often referred to, among local birders, as the "Olympic Gull"

I believe that there were a number of Glaucous-winged X Herring Gull hybrids in the flock, as well, because several had very pale eyes - more so than the other Glaucous-winged birds.  I do note that Howell (op. cit.) tells us that up to 5% of the Glaucous-winged Gulls can have pale eyes.  However, the only birds I saw with the really pale eyes also had dark wing-tips.

Putative Glaucous-wing X Herring Hybrid

Please let me know if I've mistaken my ID:  I’m always up for being schooled on gull identification skills!

While I was watching, all the gulls crouched and looked up, and sure enough, an adult Bald Eagle came dropping into the flock.

Bald Eagle coming in Hot!

The gulls barely got out of the eagle’s way as it fed on a chum carcass.

Sushi Lunch!

This is a great place to sort through the gulls during and after the salmon run.  There will be dead spawn-outs at the mouth of the creek into next month, attracting the gulls and immature eagles.

Glaucous-winged Gull with its lunch - Yum!

Perry Creek eBird Checklist is Here