Caspian, Yellow-legged Gulls? Sussex, England (1 Viewer)

[cranefan]

Hello all,

I spent some time today at the gull roost at Cuckmere Haven, East Sussex. I was hoping to pick out Yellow-legged and possibly Caspian gulls for my year list. Three Caspian were reported among the roost while I was there, by someone else. I’m not great at gulls so stuck to adults.

I’m thinking that the bird in the first image is Caspian: white head clear of streaks, long bill and forehead, small dark eyes.

Then I spent ages trying to find a yellow-legged, and think the bird in the other images could be right? My impression was of a big gull, dark streaking around the eye but not on the neck, and a darker mantle compared to the herring gulls. Unfortunately I couldn’t get a clear view of the legs through the grass.

Gull experts, what do you think, am I right? Is it even possible to say with these views?

Many thanks!

 

[leifvester]

I'm no gull expert, and fairly low res images, but I think the other images look fine for Herring gull.

The first image I'm not sure, but might be Caspian because of how far forward the eye is in the head.

 

[lou salomon]

1 looks good for a 3rd cycle Caspian Gull although I'd have preferred to see its wings also. The other pics just provide too little information to get even near solid identification. What you tell about head streaking can be present in HG too and some nominate argentatus are at least as dark in mantle shade as YLG.