Gull

Thanks Liam. There were numerous Western gulls in the area where this image was recorded, hunting on uncovered tidal flats and, exhibiting a behavior I did not realize they practiced, diving from the sea surface, like ducks. Anyway, it seems juvenile Western, Glacous-winged or a hybrid of those two are all possible species IDs.

If the primaries are pale gray, Glaucous-winged is possible. However, in your location hybrids often outnumber pure birds, so it could be a Glaucous-winged x Western hybrid.

Thanks, Malcolm. I take education wherever I can get it.

The grey mottling and dark bill indicates a juvenile, gulls take 3-4 years to reach adult plumage. That still leaves about a dozen possibilities for actual species likely in that area.