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Gull flight ID help (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter tomahawkpa
- Start date
tomahawkpa
Member
sorry, the above picture was cut off
tomahawkpa
Member
marek_walford
Well-known member
Clearly smaller than the Laughing Gull. Does look a little like a Kittiwake (especially that collar) but you can't see the colour of the bill.
Could it be a Bonapartes Gull? Don't have a field guide with me and I can't remember whether they have a collar. Looks like quite a dainty bird.
Could it be a Bonapartes Gull? Don't have a field guide with me and I can't remember whether they have a collar. Looks like quite a dainty bird.
Michael Frankis
conehead
Bit strange - the head pattern looks a bit like Bonaparte's Gull, but the underwing is completely wrong for that, and looks just typical Laughing Gull. I'd suspect probably just a Laughing Gull with an unusually pale head, but it would be nice to see another pic or two of it if you have more - particularly any that show the bill & head better.
It is also still in primary moult, which makes the wings look shorter - I'm not convinced it is actually smaller.
Michael
It is also still in primary moult, which makes the wings look shorter - I'm not convinced it is actually smaller.
Michael
Grousemore
Senior Member
Why hasn't it got any legs?
Michael Frankis
conehead
Grousemore said:
Too much B
B B ??
Michael Frankis
conehead
Hi CJ,
Don't think so - Franklin's has much more black on the head and a much whiter underwing
Michael
Don't think so - Franklin's has much more black on the head and a much whiter underwing
Michael
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Did it look diffrent structurely in the field? The underwing looks pure Laughing Gull and just about rules everything else out. It looks worryingly short winged and in particular short (and not droopy) billed. If that isn't just the effect of camera angle you may well have a hybrid here. Oh...and wasn't there a runt Laughing Gull in Dorset about 15-20 years ago that gave all sorts of problems...getting reported as Franklin's mostly....my memory is failing me!
tomahawkpa
Member
I know this bird was not a Bonie, as the first several primaries are not white. It did seem to be smaller than the other birds in the flock. We had seen two juv kittiwakes in this group, but I'm thinking this is probably just a molting Laughing gull at a strange camera angle.
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Not sure the wing shape is right for Little though, they usually show more rounded wing tips than this.. perhaps moult
PhilM
Active member
Checkout the gulls at this website
http://www.amazilia.net/images/Birds/Gulls/LittleGull.htm
I think #3 looks similar to this bird.
http://www.amazilia.net/images/Birds/Gulls/LittleGull.htm
I think #3 looks similar to this bird.
Michael Frankis
conehead
It has the wrong pattern of dark underwing for Little Gull
Michael
Michael
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Actually I've seen presumed 2nd winter Little Gulls with this pattern..its the shape that looks a bit wrong to me.
I must confess that I'd go for Black-legged Kittiwake. Maybe I'm getting too hung up on the neck collar, but it seems to me that the underwing pattern is not the same as the Laughing Gull. The fore-edge of the wing is solidly black and contrasts (slightly) with the rest of the dark area in the underwing. It's unlike the LG in that respect. An odd bird, though.
Jason
Jason
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