More on the Costa del Este Kelp Gull

Martin Reid (via his formerfieldeditorshipness Engleman) chimes in on the big gull photographed in Costa del Este on Saturday:

This looks like a good 3rd-cycle-type Kelp to me: the leg color is perfect and excludes any north american species (YFGU is a 3-year species and never looks like this.) The mantle not being blacker is okay for a bird of this age from the South American populations, which are often a bit paler above in non-adult cycles. If this is a First for Panama (I doubt it) I'd ask Alvaro Jaramillo to provide feedback.