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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Odd (to me) big gulls, UK (1 Viewer)

dantheman

Bah humbug
Apologies for the awful pics (phonescoped).

I don't really look at gulls.

One should show what to me looked interesting - adult mantle and wings (3rd bird back from the middle front bird), dark shawl and head markings, white/v pale iris, imm bill. Contrasted with the other ad/nr ad Herring Gulls in the eye and markings.

?

Second is an immature bird with oversized top mandible. Seen this in passerines, how common is it in gulls?

On a third note, anything to say the gull in image here (25th March) isn't anything but a Glaucous (bird looks a bit 'bloomed') - http://www.cbwps.org.uk/cbwpsword/sightings/
 

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Assuming these were taken recently

1. This is a third/fourth winter Herring gull. It isn't possible to see the coverts clearly so it could be either as both show a pale bill with a black mark near the tip. The base bill colour does look yellowish so I'd say fourth.
2. Bill deformity is 'frequent but uncommon' in gulls I'd say - and some seem to be able to exist with it quite well. This does look an extreme case from what I can see in the photo.
3. The photo is too small for much review, but I'm sure I've seen a bigger/better version of this bird on Birdguides or RBA and it looked OK for Glaucous.

Mick
 
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