Iceland gull? - Aberdeenshire, UK 3.5.21 (1 Viewer)

[Andy Strachan]

For the last few days I've been going through thousands of photo's catching up on sorting them into keep and delete. I stumbled upon some with a flock of gulls that I believe has an Iceland Gull in it. This is at Boddam, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire - 3rd May 2021.
Not great pictures though. What do you think?
Funny thing is I didn't find my first ever Iceland Gull until almost a year after these photo's! I just never even looked at these images. When I did find my first it was in this same area.

 

[KenM]

Looks like a good candidate to me.

Cheers

 

[ryckfour]

Looks good for Iceland Gull

 

[Rotherbirder]

From these images, how can you discount leucistic Herring?

RB

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

From these images, how can you discount leucistic Herring?

RB

That would be my vote. It's noticeable that a) it looks like an adult from the bill and b) there are some darker feathers in the wingtip. I've seen a bird very like this around Aberdeen in recent years (maybe the same one).

 

[ryckfour]

That would be my vote. It's noticeable that a) it looks like an adult from the bill and b) there are some darker feathers in the wingtip. I've seen a bird very like this around Aberdeen in recent years (maybe the same one).

I’m now seeing the bill pattern (computer screen rather than phone) and would tend to agree with you - particularly if there has been a leucistic bird in the area.

 

[Andy Strachan]

That would be my vote. It's noticeable that a) it looks like an adult from the bill and b) there are some darker feathers in the wingtip. I've seen a bird very like this around Aberdeen in recent years (maybe the same one).

After posting it crossed my mind that it may be a leucistic bird but I would never of been able to tell from the pictures anyway. Thanks guys for your opinions, definitely an interesting one. Shame it's not a clincher!

 

[KenM]

Don’t know what the odds might be regarding Leucistic Herring Gull v Iceland Gull at the locality?
That said, the bill looks yellow-ish?
From what I can see, the feet look to be a deeper pink red than the surrounding gulls?

Regarding “dark” feathering in the wings?…I can only discern a faint small tint of buff in the starboard wing certainly not “dark?”
I’m also seeing a “faint” streaking band in the tail, am assuming this is a 3rd year gull, with the mantle starting to “grey up”.

Perhaps those that are au fair with Larus might like to comment.

Cheers

 

[Butty]

Regarding “dark” feathering in the wings? . . certainly not “dark?”

Careful now. No-one used that word.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I said darker rather than dark. A key difference between Iceland and leucistic Herring:
Iceland: wingtips are the palest part of the wing.
Leucistic Herring: wingtips are usually the darkest part of the wing.
In the last photo, the gull has some darker brownish feathers in the primaries and these are darker than the rest of the wing.