Just a Herring Gull? Latvia (1 Viewer)

[CerambyX]

Was browsing through my pictures and stopped at these pictures of immature gull taken at Getliņi landfill on December 21st 2011.

I remember that I was looking for some Caspian Gulls that day, but couldn't find anything that was 100%. This one (at least I think) also isn't a Caspian - beak too heavy and with pronounced gonys angle, underwing not really pale, and structurally doesn't seem right (legs not long enough etc.).

So is this just a argentatus Herring with whitish head (or maybe it isn't really that whitish at all?)? Other possibilities that are left - Great Black-backed and Yellow-legged Gull. Size wise and structurally (head shape for example) in my eyes doesn't really look like GBBG. Not so sure about plumage features though - maybe a worn individual? Not sure about YLG either...

Will appreciate all comments!
Thanks!

 

[Jan-Paul Charteris]

Ever trying to learn large gulls myself, and not infrequently wrong I'd go with 2nd cycle argentatus. Definately can't see GBB Gull in this (doesn't really look pale headed to me either) and quite a few things seem to count against it being Caspian or Yellow-legged

 

[Cristian Mihai]

I would rule out GBBG and Caspian Gull. And I would go with Herring Gull.

 

[CerambyX]

Ok, thanks for the replies - so Herring Gull it is! :t:

And what about this pale gull? Also in Latvia (7th May 2011). When I first saw it from distance I thought that it was Glaucous Gull - but when it flew up there were darker wing tips and tail band visible (both rather indistinct though). It seems quite larger than Herring Gull next to it and it's shape seems kinda odd (GBBG type). Could it be hybrid of some sort involving Glaucous or just a leucistic/bleached individual?

 

[Cristian Mihai]

Leucistic GBBG, IMHO.