Beginning with Gulls (1 Viewer)

Hi. I am a new birder - started six months ago and until now I have pretty much ignored gulls as being too difficult. Now that I have a bit of experience and, most importantly, a telescope I want to start having a go at gulls. Can anyone recommend a starting strategy eg which are the easiest ones to identify, are any of the rarities easy to identify (Iceland and Med gulls have both been seen on my patch - would I be able to pick them out?), what are the common mix-ups, is there a good (not too technical) book or website or course?

Helen

Hi Helen.

Gulls are a favourite of mine. I started off with the basics about a year ago, and have by no means mastered them. But I am getting there; could pick out most gulls now except maybe some at long distance. I would suggest you get down to a known place for gulls where the gulls come in close, maybe to be fed on bread. Get to grips with the most common gulls first, and don't even think about touching the rarer ones or you WILL become addled. I firstly concentrated on Telling great black backs from lesser black backs, commons from herring gulls, and also learned to recognise black headed gulls & kittiwakes. These are the six gulls you are most likely to come across. But at first only learn to recognise them in their summer plumages, then Winter(whhich is simple once you understand the summer plumages) once that is done you can start worrying about the immature stages. It takes time but is well worth it once the work is done, great birds! Just take it step by step.

As for sites; here are a few:

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/6181/gulls.htm

http://www.xs4all.nl/~calidris/gullindex.htm

http://cyberbirding.uib.no/gull/species.php

Cheers.

Seán

Hi Helen, welcome to BirdForum. The book i would recommend for Gull id: GULLS of Europe, Asia, & North America. By Klaus Malling Olsen & Hans Larsson, it covers everything you need good luck, and good birding.

In Peterborough, you can eliminate Kittiwake, so 5 are left from Ronayne's list and his advice is sound.
An initial book/guide such as the RSPB Handbook of British Birds (Holden and Cleeves)will get you started and gives other useful information on habitat/population/migration etc. Specialist Gull books can follow later.

It helps greatly to learn shapes as well as plumages. In cases of aberrant or stained plumage, the shape and size can be a good predictor of the likely species.

I second the recommendation above about learning the locally common species first. If you learn those, then you will know most of the gulls you are likely to encounter.

The main key is just to look at them, and observe their patterns and behavior. The neat thing about gulls is that they are likely to sit still and let you approach closely.