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YL Gulls (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter eagle33
- Start date
SteveClifton
Well-known member
They look like GBBGulls to me Craig. x2 1st winters and a 2nd winter to the left of the second image.
Apart from general size and structure, the greater coverts on 1st winters often have that lovely open pattern, with well-spaced dark markings on a creamy ground colour. The overall pattern on the upper-parts is likewise similarly patterned creating a bolder scalloped pattern than that usually seen on either Herring or YLG/Caspian gulls.
The tertials, not easy to see in your pics should show more obvious white fringing than Herring or especially the other two species, which often show very worn fringes (if present at all) by late winter.
If seen in flight 1st winter GBBG should have a pale inner primary 'window' as in Herring Gull, and usually a more broken tail band than almost any other large gull of this age.
Apart from general size and structure, the greater coverts on 1st winters often have that lovely open pattern, with well-spaced dark markings on a creamy ground colour. The overall pattern on the upper-parts is likewise similarly patterned creating a bolder scalloped pattern than that usually seen on either Herring or YLG/Caspian gulls.
The tertials, not easy to see in your pics should show more obvious white fringing than Herring or especially the other two species, which often show very worn fringes (if present at all) by late winter.
If seen in flight 1st winter GBBG should have a pale inner primary 'window' as in Herring Gull, and usually a more broken tail band than almost any other large gull of this age.
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