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Gull ID (aberlady) (1 Viewer)

turkish van

turkish van

Number 1 celebrity badger
Feel free to laugh at the following question!

Today we drove along to aberlady bay. It was extremely busy, with cars parked all the way up the road, so as we didn't have much time anyway we just sat in the car and looked out over the mudflats (lowtide).

There were curlew, redshank, shelduck, wigeon, mallard, gulls etc and a cormorant (question to come when photos are downloaded). Way out on the flats, where the water was coming in, we saw a gull which was considerably bigger than the shelduck right next to it, at least half as big again if not more (sitting in the water). Although we didn't get great views, I could see it had a black back, with white underneath, on the chest and head. Didn't catch the bill colour. It took off and flew out to sea, and it had obvious black wings, and white everything else.

To me it looked like a great black-backed gull in summer plumage, but bigger.
My dad thinks it may have been an albatross. Which I am a bit dubious about, but stumped anyway because as far as I know none of the gulls have that colouring in winter. Any opinions welcome!

Thanks!

edit- maybe I'm being stupid do some gbbgs have black wings in winter? It still looked bigger though.
 
Last edited:
Hi Turkish Van,
Was at Aberlady myself today and yes it was very busy, way too busy for me anyway.
Right thats enough of the antisocial bit and down to the nitty gritty, firstly tell your dad (gently that is)your right its not an Albatross.
I think you have the answer yourself, it was an adult Great Black Backed Gull.
Large size,all black upperparts, all white below.
Cheers
 
Also, Black Backed Gulls (both Great and Lesser) maintain a dark mantle color year round, with it becoming more intense and darker in the breeding season. In winter it will be a very dark grey/light black, dependant upon light etc.
 
I'm only a beginer but that seems typical of GBB - they are a very large bird.
Only other thing I can think of is something I see occasionaly in Cornwall - juvenile Gannet - another huge bird but it very rarely settles on the water.
Looking up GBB I see they are regarded as generally silent - they're not here - they flap around like big hooligans sqwauking like a Herring gull with a very sore throat.
 
Ta for the replies.
It just seemed so big next to the shelduck, but I'm sure you're right. Is it only 3rd year onwards that the keep the dark colour through the winter?

Birdspotter - have you spotted the artic redpoll or surf scoter yet then? That's partly why we went down that way. Just too busy though. There were people jams on the path!
 
turkish van said:
Ta for the replies.
It just seemed so big next to the shelduck, but I'm sure you're right. Is it only 3rd year onwards that the keep the dark colour through the winter?

Birdspotter - have you spotted the artic redpoll or surf scoter yet then? That's partly why we went down that way. Just too busy though. There were people jams on the path!
Click to expand...

Saw the Redpoll and Surfer yesterday and the Redpoll again today, still very busy including one bloke who asked me if they had any plans to keep Fox numbers down on the reserve !
Didnt quite get it when I said no its a nature reserve.
 
Woodchatshrike, i know exactly why you were there. The very same reason i was there the day before!!!!!!!!
 
TSM23 said:
Woodchatshrike, i know exactly why you were there. The very same reason i was there the day before!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Its blatantly clear why two Fifers where there, Aberlady gives excellent views of the aforementioned region.
I was only there for the views of my home city of Edinburgh further along the coast !
Any good birds about ?
 
turkish van said:
Is it only 3rd year onwards that the keep the dark colour through the winter?
Click to expand...
Once a Great Black-backed Gull (or any other gull) has attained adult-type colouration above, they retain it all year round: the mantle feathers, scapulars and wing coverts/ primaries/ secondaries are moulted once a year (in late summer/ early autumn in most large gulls). Any age younger than 3rd year in GBB just wouldn't have black feathers on the upperparts in summer OR winter.
Hope this makes sense?
Regards,
Harry
 
Woodchatshrike said:
That's why we stop at Leven at dusk to see those big city lights.
Click to expand...

And excellent firework displays !

As for Leven, whats it like these days ? I believe the outfall was upgraded and as such not so good.
The last time I was there c10 yrs ago it was brilliant, loads of Scaup,Eider and the like.
 
Birdspotter said:
And excellent firework displays !

As for Leven, whats it like these days ? I believe the outfall was upgraded and as such not so good.
The last time I was there c10 yrs ago it was brilliant, loads of Scaup,Eider and the like.
Click to expand...

It's OK. I was leading a trip around Fife last Feb and all the punters were looked quite unimpressed when we pulled up next to the power station but at first glance through the scope and saw all those seaduck. Not use to that at all in the SW.

It still gets enough gulls for me to keep an interest. The large gulls roost quite far out now and if it is anything less then a millpond they are impossible to see. Still get the odd Med. It is still good for shear variety. It is a shame the Queen Eider is no longer present. A perg is often sat on the power station.
 
Birdspotter said:
And excellent firework displays !

As for Leven, whats it like these days ? I believe the outfall was upgraded and as such not so good.
The last time I was there c10 yrs ago it was brilliant, loads of Scaup,Eider and the like.
Click to expand...

I may be one of the few old enough to remember the Portobello-Seafield outfall in its glory days when over 25,000 Scaup, 8000 Pochard, several thousand Goldeneye and hundreds of Great Crested Grebe among others used to gather there. It was quite an astonishing site, and sight. Everything's too clean nowadays.
 
RecoveringScot said:
I may be one of the few old enough to remember the Portobello-Seafield outfall in its glory days when over 25,000 Scaup, 8000 Pochard, several thousand Goldeneye and hundreds of Great Crested Grebe among others used to gather there. It was quite an astonishing site, and sight. Everything's too clean nowadays.
Click to expand...

Hi RS,
Yes it must have been a great sight, but unfortunatly a bit before my day.
I do however remember the huge Pochard flock in their thousands at Duddingston Loch in the centre of Edinburgh, nowadays your lucky if there's half a dozen or so.
Here's a sample of some of the peak counts from Leith & adjacent Seafield areas for anyone who's interested.

Pochard 8600 Nov 1974
Tufted Duck 800-900 1960-early 70's
Scaup 30-40,000 1968/69
Eider 7650 Feb 1974
Goldeneye 7500 1972/73
 
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