Gull sp. (1 Viewer)

[Helsinki Birder]

http://surfbirds.com/video2/view_video.php?viewkey=792689533b00664a5c3e

Not sure if this has been discussed already? Bird present in essex.

Interesting bird.

Owen

 

[The Hairy Highlander]

Looks a bit like the Thaylers thats in Ireland at the moment?

 

[Helsinki Birder]

Looks a bit like the Thaylers thats in Ireland at the moment?

A paler bird, but there are similarities. Hard to judge on the quality of this video. But perhaps should be followed up?

Would be a first for britain if so?

Took the liberty of taking a still of the open wing.

Owen

 

[The Hairy Highlander]

Deffinately an interesting individual for sure, was it yourself that found the bird?

 

[Helsinki Birder]

No. I came across the video on surfbirds.

http://shorebirder-waderworld.blogspot.com

This is the blog of the observer. I would be hunting that bird down if i was the finder!

Owen

 

[Steve Arlow]

The bird looks structure wise as Herring Gull and with the heavy blotching below whould not suggest Thayers which is similar to American Herring Gull in that they are smooth brown below. I've noted many similar birds over the years and they raise several questions, hybrid or just a pale winged Herring Gull.

I personally can't see any thayers in this bird.

 

[Helsinki Birder]

Hi steve,

Whilst it is certainly tempting to try and pull features out of this video that are concrete and not lighting affected...i am not sure that it is entirely possible. Unfortunately the distance and resolution are just too large a factor to yield anything for definite.

Though if i do give in to temptation, and after having scrutinised the video frame by frame, I do think there are MAYBE features there which are interesting, I think the spread wing looks interesting, with a darker secondary bar present, the tail, brief glimpse though it may be seems to match the primary coloration and the rump seems well barred.

I personally think it looks reasonably similar to the galway thayers in structure, dumpy, short legged, but again very difficult to discern for definite.


And some thayers do look "blotchy" as opposed to the darker slate birds. Im not sure that that is enough to eliminate it on this video, which is heavily affected by reflected light.

Either way, this bird should probably be followed up on, if only to nail it.
Again I am not saying it is thayers based on that video.
Just that its interesting enough to warrant a closer look.

Owen

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_lZfSFoZeDLc/Su8wL6C4LNI/AAAAAAAACAg/GAtH1JW14uQ/s1600-h/Thayers+Gull+3.jpg

 

[Jane Turner]

You know it was the structure that I thought was interesting!

Short legs, short bill, head shape. Quite "Icelandy" The thumbnail doesn't benefit from expanding btw

 

[Steve Turner]

...I too thought the structure was more 'Icelandy' rather than Herring-like. The primary projaction looks too long for a Herring perhaps.

Steve

 

[Steve Arlow]

I know the observer(s) of the bird and the owner of the video and I have seen a higher res video. At the time they considered it to possibly be a GlaucousxHerring Hybrid which was latter disregarded as to much Herring Gull features and no Glauc features. Thus discussion proceeded to the possiblity of it being a faded or more likely the pale end of Herring Gull.

It could be a HerringxIceland hybrid. The small head and facial expression perhaps recalling Iceland as do the short legs but does not look particularly long winged.

The wing coverts, scapulars and tertials have a pattern not disimilar to Herring Gull and unlike thayers or kumliens, kumlien's being the other possibility.

The primaries are overall to pale for Thayers, they should be darker than the rest of the plumage with pale tips and neat narrow fringing at the tip, this bird has a mostly pale folded wing.

I have attached similarly pale winged Herring Gull types that I have noted in the same area as the bird in question.

I will see if I can get more details from the observers.

 

[Peter Alfrey]

Hi Steve,
When I last checked hybridization between herring and iceland is yet to be proven?
I think glaucxherring is still on the table, especially 2nd generation hybrid (F2, F3 etc). Also the pale herring gull is a possibility as you say.

Peter
NON-STOP BIRDING
http://peteralfreybirdingnotebook.blogspot.com/

 

[JANJ]

It´s of course difficult to be able to verify whatever the gull might be from the film.
However, what strikes me is the Herring structure and the barred scapulars, well in line with a 1st winter Herring, perhaps an individual at the paler end or simply some sort of hybrid. In other words - I agree with Steve. Also noted the image by Peter in his blog, which more clearly shows the pattern, thus strenghten the Herring suggestion. However, whether it´s a Herring x Glaucous or as mentioned a paler Herring is the question

http://peteralfrey.blogspot.com/

Some candidates here:

http://cyberbirding.uib.no/gull/ind_ufo.php

JanJ

 

[Steve Arlow]

Hi Pete

I put the HerringxIceland Gull aspect out there as there was mention of some Iceland features but as you say this hybrid combination would be very unlikely.

As you know I thought the bird was probably a pale end of spectrum Herring Gull and I still think this is the case but with birds such as this we may never know, it could be GlaucxHerring 2nd generation hybrid.

It is an interesting bird and I do like looking at this pale birds like this in the field, a little more challenging than obvious leucistic or albino gulls.

 

[Peter Alfrey]

Hi (lady and) gents,
I agree. i reckon it would be difficult to take it further than one of several options. It is most likely either a very pale Herring Gull or an F2 (+) glaucxherring gull. Could it also be the hypothetical icelandxherring?
I think it is a good thing to get comfortable with multi-option id.
A nice looking bird.
Best
Peter
NON-STOP BIRDING
http://peteralfreybirdingnotebook.blogspot.com/

 

[Peter Alfrey]

I've put a few other gull pics from the last couple of winters from the same area which are on a similar theme:
http://peteralfreybirdingnotebook.blogspot.com/