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Gull ID Confirmation - Blurry Pics (1 Viewer)

KayD

KayD

Ochruros
Hi can anyone confirm the ID of this gull from the bad pics?

Taken at Snettisham RSPB this morning.

Thanks in advance.
 

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Thanks guys, I thought so too, but it looked a bit different from the many other commons I see and was playing on my mind at the time. The posture made it look a bit weird I think.
 
Steve Waite said:
Kittiwake maybe.... Just a thought.....
Click to expand...

That was my thinking when I spotted it, but another birder had dismissed it as a common gull. I didn't want to suggest this when I first posted the pic as I wanted an unbiased response. I found the posture reminiscant of a kittiwake, the 'face' looked better for kittiwake, the beak slimmer and the legs looked short and dark. The bird was on a small pile of rocks at the back of the lagoon pool.
 
Just bumping this back up....

Anyone else like to comment? The matter is still unresolved although I think its a Kittiwake upon further reflection.

Again sorry for bad pics :eek!: Taken at Snettisham, Norfolk in March.
 
Another vote for Kittiwake - if it's needed. Dark legs, dark back and short looking yellow bill do it for me.
 
Very hard to rule out common gull, but that posture is classic kittiwake, legs further back giving an upright look.
 
The more I look at it, the more I think it's a Kittiwake though I'm not 100% sure. Kittiwakes do turn up in odd places sometimes, I remember seeing one years ago sat with lots of 'usual' gulls outside the visitor centre at Radipole and being thrown. That one I think had quite a dark mantle compared to the accompanying Black-headed and Common Gulls - did this look dark-backed?
 
I think Kittiwake is a possibility, the legs look short enough for it, but i think Common Gull can't be ruled out. Its hard to tell from the pictures.
 
DEREK CHARLES said:
I think its a Common Gull based on size.

Derek
Click to expand...

Hi Derek

Not sure how reliable that is , given that we are unable to see any real direct comparisons - especially bearing in mind that these are averages and there is massive overlap in all of them ;-)

Common Gull
41cm
120cm

Kittiwake
39cm
108cm

Black Headed Gull
36cm
105cm

Pic resembles Kittiwake 'stance' but it could just be a Common Gull in the rain !

Cheers

Si.
 
I was at Bemton a couple of months back when an elderly old dear pointed towards the crowded cliff face and said:

'Are there any Kittiwakes here this year'

.....and then went on to comment on the presence of all of those damned common gulls keeping them away.

She did leave happy that she'd seen several thousand Kittiwake though.

I was very gentle.
 
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