Gull ID please - Musselburgh, Scotland (1 Viewer)

[Jaysan]

Hello, Based on the size, I wondered if this was a slightly darker herring gull, but the legs were yellow. It looked too big to be a lesser black backed gull. It has a dark ring on the bill and a white tip. The red patch can also be seen on the lower bill, so its on its way to becoming an adult soon. Could it be a Yellow legged gull (3rd year-4th year)? (Seen on the 3rd of June, 2023).

Thanks for your help.
Sandeep

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Why not Great Black-backed Gull?

 

[Jaysan]

It would have pink legs (similar to herring gulls) I thought.

 

[Butty]

Based on the size...

Judging the size of a lone bird is notoriously unreliable.
Could you give the date, please (ageing gulls is a key part of their ID, and the date is often necessary to assess this)? Thanks.

 

[Jaysan]

It was the 3rd of June Butty

 

[maplekong]

As Butty said, were there any other birds close by you could compare the size to?

 

[Jaysan]

As Butty said, were there any other birds close by you could compare the size to?

It was amongst a large group of common gulls maplekong. I thought there were one or two herring gulls, but they were resting and I could not get a proper view of them.

 

[maplekong]

Here's a study of an individual yellow-legged gull in plumages at different times from each year, I would trust your observations at the time, see if there are any that match. (Scroll to photos)

Studies of an individual Yellow-legged Gull

deanar.org.uk

None of the plumages seem as dark as your bird, so I would suggest lesser black-backed

 

[Jaysan]

Here's a study of an individual yellow-legged gull in plumages at different times from each year, I would trust your observations at the time, see if there are any that match. (Scroll to photos)

Studies of an individual Yellow-legged Gull

deanar.org.uk

Thank you. Will check it out. The group photo as promised. You can see one young herring gull at the back. Regards, Sandeep

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Thank you. Will check it out. The group photo as promised. You can see one young herring gull at the back. Regards, Sandeep

Looking at the size relative to the Common Gulls, I would say this is a Lesser Black-backed Gull. It's too dark for Yellow-legged.

 

[SteveClifton]

Looking at the size relative to the Common Gulls, I would say this is a Lesser Black-backed Gull. It's too dark for Yellow-legged.

Agree👍

 

[maplekong]

It might have looked too big to be a lesser-black-backed at the time because in relation to the other gulls it was standing. I think we agree that it is a lesser black-backed. Case closed, Sandeep?

 

[Jaysan]

It might have looked too big to be a lesser-black-backed at the time because in relation to the other gulls it was standing. I think we agree that it is a lesser black-backed. Case closed, Sandeep?

It looked too bulky to be a lesser black backed gull to me. It was more herring gull size (comparing to the ones at the back). But guess the colour is darker. So I am beginning to think LBB now. Have never seen an LBB with a ring on the bill and the white at the tip. Learning as I go...

 

[maplekong]

It looked too bulky to be a lesser black backed gull to me. It was more herring gull size (comparing to the ones at the back). But guess the colour is darker. So I am beginning to think LBB now. Have never seen an LBB with a ring on the bill and the white at the tip. Learning as I go...

We all are. I'm only thirteen!