What is this strange gull? Ireland, Co.Down (1 Viewer)

[leifvester]

Back again with another dark eyed oddity.

I'm honestly not sure at all what this is.

The dark eye again caught my attention, however it seemed that its left eye was darker than its right.
Furthermore, the gull had very bright pink legs, the pinkest legged gull present.

I also noticed that the bill had no noticeable gonys angle.

EDIT: Looking again through video and photos, this gull appears to be the same mystery gull from a few days ago.
It has the dark eye, a similar bill, the faint face mask, and the flecks around the neck collar.

Ireland, Dark eyed herring gull?

This morning I found a gull in County Down, Ireland that I found unusual. What was weird about it to me was the dark eye (looked black like a common gull) as well as the comically small head. It also seems to have a more delicate beak than other Herring and a dumpier (less long) appearance. I...

www.birdforum.net

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Leif,

I think it's a Herring Gull.

• You already noted the bubblegum pink legs
• p5 only has a black streak in both wings, not so good für Caspian Gull and bad for Yellow legged Gull

Dark eyes are regular in Gulls, that have survived avian flu. There are some threads here in BF

 

[leifvester]

Hello Leif,

I think it's a Herring Gull.

• You already noted the bubblegum pink legs
• p5 only has a black streak in both wings, not so good für Caspian Gull and bad for Yellow legged Gull

Dark eyes are regular in Gulls, that have survived avian flu. There are some threads here in BF

That makes sense about surviving avian flu. I think I'm probably putting too much emphasis on the dark iris, however I was confused by multiple points:

• Dark iris (unique among the Herring gulls present)
• Pink legs (pinkest legs on the beach)
• Very little gony angle on the beak

There's also the clean head (with a few flecks at the base of the neck). Not that unusual, but still most of the Herring present had some notable flecking on the head / face.

It's the combination of range extremes that's weird, but there's no reason that can't happen I suppose!
I understand it is most likely a "regular" Herring gull
Any possibility of subspecies ID? Or it's simply a normal variation for Argenteus?

Either way, it's great to have this itch scratched, as I'm fairly sure this has been the gull that's been confusing me the past few days!

 

[leifvester]

Just another thought I had that made the gull seem strange. It was apparently short in the neck. I never seen it stand upright and proud like the other Herring gull.
Also I can see a flecked neck band fwiw.

Notice as well the similar Herring gull that is standing proud, has a different head a bill shape...

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Leif,

its a Herring Gull imo. Please note

• pinkish legs, without any yellowish or greyish tinge. Caspian Gulls without yellow legs shouldnt have clear pinkish legs. Yellow legged Gulls usually have clear yellow legs
• eye seems pale
• pale tongue on underside of p10 seems to be lacking, bad for Caspian Gull
• altough difficult to judge, it seems to be short-legged

Please compare to this presumed Caspian Gull, where pink legs and broken band on p10 suggest Herring Gull influence/hybrid, especially considering location (Prenzlau, NE-Germany, 09.10.2016)

https://flic.kr/p/GgEkuU

 

[lou salomon]

Please compare to this presumed Caspian Gull, where pink legs and broken band on p10 suggest Herring Gull influence/hybrid, especially considering location (Prenzlau, NE-Germany, 09.10.2016)

https://flic.kr/p/GgEkuU

Alexander, your bird is a 3c wich makes a difference in both leg colour and p10 pattern. Still, even adult Caspian Gulls can have a broad p10 subterminal mark and pinkish legs, both not being direct indications of HG influence.
Leif and your bird is definitely a HG, on primary pattern. All other traits are much more variable. Dark eye could be from bird flu but not necessarily.

 

[leifvester]

Mystery solved!
Feel a little silly for getting so hung up on this gull, but I have learned quite a bit from this, so thank you both!

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello again Leif,

no need to feel silly you know.

And thanks Lou for correct ageing and the helpful points. Excellent!