Herring Gull (1 Viewer)

[London Birder]

Took this lame photo of a 1st-wint Herring Gull at Hyde Park, December 2007.

Struck me as being a rather swarthy bird, more so than I associate with argenteus birds. Sort of forgotten about the photo ... was on site with a further 11 1st-wint birds, none of which showed this rather dark plumage.

Just a particularly dark argenteus, or an argentatus?

Never saw it in flight.

Comments welcome.

 

[JANJ]

Hi Des.

Whether argentatus or argenteus id difficult to say for sure on this 1st winter - but it´s one of them so to speak.
Variable as gulls are - some are darker than others. I don´t see american Herring in this one.

JanJ

 

[London Birder]

Hi Des.

Whether argentatus or argenteus id difficult to say for sure on this 1st winter - but it´s one of them so to speak.
Variable as gulls are - some are darker than others. I don´t see american Herring in this one.

JanJ

Thanks Jan,

Forgot to say it was in London.

smithsonianus wasn't in the equation really, managed to see tail, which though heavily marked wasn't suggestive of AHG.

Figured it was either argenteus or argentatus, just never recall seeing one in the field like it.

Appreciated

 

[JANJ]

Des,

Check here:

http://chrisgibbins-gullsbirds.blogspot.com/

JanJ

 

[London Birder]

Des,

Check here:

http://chrisgibbins-gullsbirds.blogspot.com/

JanJ

Thanks very much for the link Jan, some very interesting birds depicted there.

Bookmarked,

Atb