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Not So Easy to Swallow!
This Glaucous-winged gull is waiting for the arms of the sea star, Pisaster ochraceus, to conform to its throat so it can finally swallow the sea star. At this time of year the low tides are moving into the dark so normal foraging for the gull is somewhat curtailed. At daytime lows they cruise along the shoreline looking for the hapless P. ochraceus which has not submerged itself deep enough to escape the gulls very shallow “dives”. Another thing to note, the gulls head has gone from a sparkling white to a winter gray. It will remain this colour till mating season in the spring.
The glaucous-winged gull is a large, white-headed gull. The genus name is from Latin "Larus" which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird. The specific "glaucescens" is New Latin for "glaucous" from the Ancient Greek, "glaukos", denoting the grey color of its wings.
