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Gull Herts, UK (1 Viewer)

a_j_steele

Well-known member
This gull has being bugging me for a little while, thoughts would be welcome
 

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Its one of those thread I normally learn, but the right Gull doesnt have a Great-black-backed Gull-jizz to me:
-wing projection is to long
- what seems to be an extensive all dark tail is not good for GBBG (I get the impression, that this can be judged with confidence?)
-I would expect an immature (1 or 2 cy ) GBBG to show more extensive white frings(barring to wing coverts. So my question is: can an immature GBBG have so heavily worn wing-coverts that this area appears so uniform "washed out dark" like this bird here? Answer is most probably yes.
Conclusion? Real Gull experts, please help. I think, right bird is a Herring Gull, with the caveat, that I am no Gull expert
 
Its one of those thread I normally learn, but the right Gull doesnt have a Great-black-backed Gull-jizz to me:
-wing projection is to long
- what seems to be an extensive all dark tail is not good for GBBG (I get the impression, that this can be judged with confidence?)
-I would expect an immature (1 or 2 cy ) GBBG to show more extensive white frings(barring to wing coverts. So my question is: can an immature GBBG have so heavily worn wing-coverts that this area appears so uniform "washed out dark" like this bird here? Answer is most probably yes.
Conclusion? Real Gull experts, please help. I think, right bird is a Herring Gull, with the caveat, that I am no Gull expert
Also, the right bird has a grey head like Herring, not nearly white like the GBB
 
And looking at the left Gull, this also doesnt jump to me as an straightforward GBBG. Reason? I am not sure, maybe its time for me to learn.
Mantle is dark-lead grey, sure within variation for GBBG, but better for a Lesser-black-backed Gull. And the bill doesnt seem monster to me with the typical head shape for GBBG with a flat head that joins the bill without an obious step in the forehead.
Conclusion? I am really unsure with the left Gull, because it gives a strange feeling to me: it might be a GBBG or not. So I would like to learn here: please help!
 
And looking at the left Gull, this also doesnt jump to me as an straightforward GBBG. Reason? I am not sure, maybe its time for me to learn.
Mantle is dark-lead grey, sure within variation for GBBG, but better for a Lesser-black-backed Gull. And the bill doesnt seem monster to me with the typical head shape for GBBG with a flat head that joins the bill without an obious step in the forehead.
Conclusion? I am really unsure with the left Gull, because it gives a strange feeling to me: it might be a GBBG or not. So I would like to learn here: please help!
LBB wouldn't have such a white head, nor the white fringes on the mantle & coverts? Here's one (with its parent for proof of identity!).
 

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omg. the left hand bird is a 2cy in heavy moult (so, photo taken probably in august-september) - very bad for IDing large gulls. the right hand one looks like a 1cy herring gull to me and looks to have replaced quite some scaps already. as for the left bird - it could virtually be any large gull and as such i'd leave it: unidentified.
 
Thank you Lou and Nutcracker, I just wanted to write that the grey mantle of the left has a different shade on another screen. But if you cant ID it, it is far above my experience!
 
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