English and Scientific names:	California Gull  (Larus californicus)
Number of individuals:	One in sub-adult plumage
Locality: LOUISIANA:	Cameron
Specific Locality:	Rutherford Beach, near camps at water’s edge
Date(s) when observed:	10-1-09
Time(s) of day when observed:	About 10:30 AM
Reporting observer and address:	Melvin Weber Reserve, La
Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):	Ronald Stein, Josh Sylvest, Richard Taylor
Other observers who independently identified the bird(s)
Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):	Good lighting
Optical equipment:	30 - 60 power Kowa Scopes (2)
Distance to bird(s):	200 feet
Duration of observation:	Watched bird for 15 minutes before it flew with the group and went West out of sight
Habitat:
Behavior of bird:	Most of the time of observation this bird spent with its head tucked into its back feathers as shown in the photo.
Description:	Gray backed gull between size of Herring and Ring-billed.  When this bird did show its head, it showed a bill with a bright yellow tip, a black partial ring (spot), a red spot and the rest of the bill was a dull yellow.  It had a dark eye. The plumage when landed looked like an adult, but the legs were not green, but more of a dirty fleshy yellow.  When the bird flew it showed a number of white spots in its gray mantle.
Voice:
Similar species:
Photographs or tape recordings obtained?	Photo by Melvin Weber sent separately.
Previous experience with this species:	I think I have seen 3 other individuals in Louisiana, at least one was an adult.
Identification aids:	Sibley's birds and National Geographic.
This description is written from:	This description is written from memory since original document send was not kept.
Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain:	As sure as I normally could be, but gulls hybridize so I an never 100%.
Date and time:	10-27-09