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Gull Help Please (1 Viewer)

snapper

Well-known member
I have just up-loaded a photo in to the gallery of what i thought was a Great Black-backed Gull & JanJ informes me that the legs are the wrong colour I am not about to argue the point JanJ Knows a lot more about birds than me but I am getting very confused please see the picture from my one & only Ref Book Collins birds of Britain & Europe I would aslo be greatful if you could ID the other gulls for me.

Regards Snapper.
 

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Hi Snapper,

I think what you have here are 2 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, which do have yellow legs. Another point of note is the absence of notable white mirrors (spots) on the primaries. These would be larger and quite noticeable in Great Black-backed Gull. GBB Gulls also have pink legs.

GBB Gulls are quite impressive and large and this can easily be seen with patience the next time you get a chance to compare these two species. May I also suggest upgrading your guide to the Collins Bird Guide by Mullarney, Zetterstron et al. It really is the bees knees!

P.S. The other gull is a Herring Gull. Really stunning photos, don't give up on them.

Regards,
 
There you go Snapper, M Cowming just said it. I agree that you must get that Collins Bird Guide! As you saw in my comment, GBBG occasionally have yellow/ish legs, as in your book (and a small female GBBG can be the size of a Herring Gull) then the heavy structure are important, and they often look brutal. GBBG have a wing tip like this:
http://www.faunoekjmueller-magdeburg.de/FederSlg__Ubersicht/moewen/MantelM-VarN-0703-Bk.jpg
and LBBG (graellsii) like this:http://www.faunoekjmueller-magdeburg.de/FederSlg__Ubersicht/moewen/HeringsM-RomoDK170603.jpg
Nice images Snapper!
JanJ
 
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JANJ said:
There you go Snapper, M Cowming just said it. I agree that you must get that Collins Bird Guide! As you saw in my comment, GBBG occasionally have yellow/ish legs, as in your book (and a small female GBBG can be the size of a Herring Gull) then the heavy structure are important, and they often look brutal. GBBG have a wing tip like this:
http://www.faunoekjmueller-magdeburg.de/FederSlg__Ubersicht/moewen/MantelM-VarN-0703-Bk.jpg
and LBBG (graellsii) like this:http://www.faunoekjmueller-magdeburg.de/FederSlg__Ubersicht/moewen/HeringsM-RomoDK170603.jpg
Nice images Snapper!
JanJ
Hi JanJ thanks for yours & M Cowming's deductions I will get the photo's removed & start again from now on I will check all my new tick photo's here before I make a fool of my self again.

Thanks for all your help & for not taking the p**s.

Regards Snapper.
 
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