This somewhat tricky bird can be identified as a LAUGHING GULL (rather than the more expected Franklin's Gull) by a variety of field marks, including a large, drooped bill, limited white eye crescents (and the lack of a strongly contrasting dark hood). The perched bird shows very long wings extending well beyond the bird's tail. The wing pattern is confusing, complicated by some challenges in identifying the age of the bird. Most Laughing Gulls will show more uniform primaries, but p1-6 (and especially p6) are all new feathers on this bird, explaining the contrast with p10 through p7. Dark secondaries are another mark pointing towards Laughing. The underwing shows dark primaries and a lot of dark mottling, including remnants of a dark underwing bar.

Lastly (and perhaps most definitively) the outermost tail feathers in a Franklin's Gull are all white; this bird clearly has dark outer retrices. Growing central white tail feathers breaking up the dark tail band is yet another mark consistent with Laughing Gull.