[birder of the south]

Hi all,

Could anyone help me ID these gulls. Sorry about the quality they were quite distant and it was very windy.
Many Thanks in anticipation,
Lee

[Rich Bonser]

Had a quick look, initial thoughts are as follows:

Pic 1:
Difficult to get much on it in terms of Kodak grey scale as it’s a lone bird. You may have a 2cy Y-l Gull there though.

Pic 2:
2cy LBB (graellsi) on the right with possibly a sub-adult (retained immature tertials) intermedius thus accounting for size difference and mantle colour.

Pic 3:
Looks pretty similar to the bird in pic 1 so possibly a 2cy Y-l Gull with a couple of LBBs and a Black-head (for completeness). Conceivably though could even be a Herring. Presumably no views of a white mirror on P10 obtained?

Just a quick look so sorry about the lack of constructive points.

Cheers and good birding

Rich

[birder of the south]

Originally Posted by Rich Bonser

Had a quick look, initial thoughts are as follows:

Pic 1:
Difficult to get much on it in terms of Kodak grey scale as it’s a lone bird. You may have a 2cy Y-l Gull there though.

Pic 2:
2cy LBB (graellsi) on the right with possibly a sub-adult (retained immature tertials) intermedius thus accounting for size difference and mantle colour.

Pic 3:
Looks pretty similar to the bird in pic 1 so possibly a 2cy Y-l Gull with a couple of LBBs and a Black-head (for completeness). Conceivably though could even be a Herring. Presumably no views of a white mirror on P10 obtained?

Just a quick look so sorry about the lack of constructive points.

Cheers and good birding

Rich

Thanks Rich I thought that there was a LBBG and maybe a Y L Gull but couldn't be sure.
Here is another which is sharper but more distant.

[birder of the south]

And another which is the one I thought was a Yellow Legged.

[lou salomon]

hi lee,

a side view of the lighter grey mantled bird (pic1 and 3) would be helpfull, i guess you don't have any more pics? it looks like a 2nd/3rd winter type herring gull to me, but i can't exclude yellow-legged gull totally. legs look short for yellow-legged but in that strong wind it can be crouched a bit. head shape is better for herring.

the other birds are lesser black-backed gulls. in pic 2 there are an ad or 3rd winter plus a 2nd winter bird, in pic 3 from left to right: 2nd winter LBBG, 2nd/3rd winter herring (?), black-headed gull and ad lesser black-backed gull.

[birder of the south]

Hi Lou I have this one if it helps.

[JANJ]

Hi Lee.

The first gull has some resemblens to a 2cy Yellow-legged (a Herring Gull similar aged usually with less advanced plumage, 3cy type Herring would have wider white tips to primaries and usually with a mirror of variable size on p10 visible). I presume the images are taken recently (?). The rather heavy blunt-tipped bill, rather unmarked grey back and scapulars, contrasting solid dark markings on coverts with third generation like grey feathers only on inner greater coverts. The tertails although variable, often show solid dark inner part with a subterminal dark mark and pale tip in Yellow-legged, which your gull doesn´t show. Structure is more Herring Gull like, heavy body smallish head (not mentioning the head shape - which doesn´t look Yellow-legged squarish - because this is a variable character not to be trusted to much, especially in images).

http://www.gull-research.org/ylg1cy2...ov/02cynov.htm

http://www.gull-research.org/hg/HG2CY11.htm

JanJ

[birder of the south]

Originally Posted by JANJ

Hi Lee.

The first gull has some resemblens to a 2cy Yellow-legged (a Herring Gull similar aged usually with less advanced plumage, 3cy type Herring would have wider white tips to primaries and usually with a mirror of variable size on p10 visible). I presume the images are taken recently (?). The rather heavy blunt-tipped bill, rather unmarked grey back and scapulars, contrasting solid dark markings on coverts with third generation like grey feathers only on inner greater coverts. The tertails although variable, often show solid dark inner part with a subterminal dark mark and pale tip in Yellow-legged, which your gull doesn´t show. Structure is more Herring Gull like, heavy body smallish head (not mentioning the head shape - which doesn´t look Yellow-legged squarish - because this is a variable character not to be trusted to much, especially in images).

http://www.gull-research.org/ylg1cy2...ov/02cynov.htm

http://www.gull-research.org/hg/HG2CY11.htm

JanJ

Hi JanJ, It was taken today at Blashford Lakes HWT on Mockbeggar Lake. Nearby Ibsley water has a huge Gull roost but are normally too far away for a Positive ID such as Caspians although I have had one adult before there. Also they get quite a lot of Y L gulls in all plumages and the other day had 5000+ LBBG's. However I haven't that much exp with Gulls and Iam trying to get into them more as I find them so interesting and challenging.
Thanks for the Info,
Lee

[lou salomon]

well, in the side view pic if you take the head alone, i could go with YLG, but then there's quite of a heavy belly, shortish legs and not satisfying long enough wings.

in the pic with the 2 graellsii and the black-headed it looks very michahellis like. as jan said, plumagewise it would fit better a 2cy YLG than a HG but - it could be an advanced 2cy herring though with that body (prob. no 3cy with 3rd gen primaries - white tips.)