White gull, Whitburn Coastal Park, UK (1 Viewer)

[James111]

Hi, I saw this very white gull yesterday, 29th Aug, at Whitburn Coastal Park, North East England.

I think it's most likely going to be a leucistic (or something) herring gull. It looks a similar size or maybe slightly smaller than the nearby herring (or possibly LBB for the juveniles?) gulls. The pictures are probably all overexposed and/or blurred, but when looking through the scope there was a very small degree of brownish markings; can't be more specific than that. The shape of the bill looks thinner than a herring gull's to me, although maybe not in the first two pics. That made me wonder if it could be a LBBG? Obviously I considered an iceland gull, but I think the all-black bill, and lack of almost any markings at this time of year would exlclude that?

Every large gull in the area that was easily identifiable (for me) was a herring gull, except for a few GBBG and one LBBG.

 

[lou salomon]

on structure I'd say it is a leucistic LBBG.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
interesting bird. Not that I can iD it, but its an educational one, with pure structure and proportions the only hint.

Tfs and thanks to Lou for ID!
One more question: is this is a 1cy bird by all black bill, pink legs and uniform fresh/only faint worn primaries?
I just realized, how I much I am influenced by colouration.

Tfs again!

 

[James111]

Thanks Lou and Alexander! I'd be interested to know if it could be aged as well.

 

[lou salomon]

yes, 1cy.