EASILY CONFUSED WITH AMERICAN HERRING GULL; DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE IN THE FIELD.

LACKING FLIGHT SHOTS THE EVIDENCE FOR THIS BEING A 1ST CY VEGA GULL IS
LIMITED BUT STILL LOOKS GOOD: OVERALL BRIGHT, CONTRASTY; CRISP,
FINE-STREAKED HEAD AND UPPER NECK AND HEAVIER STREAKING ON LOWER NECK;
STRONG, STREAMLINED HEAD/BILL STRUCTURE; BILL PARALLEL-EDGED, BLENDING
FROM BLACK TIP TO FLESH-COLORED BASE; PALE, SPECKLED BREAST AND WHITISH
BELLY; WELL ADVANCED POST JUVENILE SCAPULAR MOLT WITH SOME TYPICAL TRANSVERSE
BARRING; PALE GREATER COVERTS WITH SPECKLED DARK BROWN BARRING ON BRIGHT,
WHITE BACKGROUND; BROAD, WHITE DISTAL EDGES TO TERTIALS. LATE 1ST WINTER
AMERICAN HERRING GULL NOT AS BRIGHT AND CONTRASTY OVERALL; BILL USUALLY
HAS A CLEAN, CLEARLY DEFINED FLESH-COLORED BASE WITH DIPPED-IN-INK BLACK TIP,
USUALLY NOT SMUDGY; NOT AS LIKELY TO HAVE TRANSVERSE BARRING ON POST JUVENILE
SCAPS; WHITE DISTAL EDGES TO TERTIALS NOT AS BROAD OR CONSPICUOUS; GREATER
COVERTS USUALLY WITH DULL BROWNISH BARRING.