Yellow Legged Gull - Poland (1 Viewer)

[AGDK]

Hello

I saw this gull today at the beach in along the Baltic coast... Clear yellow legs, but not dark yellow... For me the wing pattern could also point to Larus michahellis, but the bill doesn't look right to me?

Is it just a yellow-legged Larus argentatus or a real Larus michahellis?

Thanks

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
your bird has a wrong primary pattern for a YLG:

• p5 doesnt have any markings, the majority has a complete band there
• the YLG in SW-Germany (that I can ID as such) has much more black on p9 (and p8), sometimes I get the impression of a triangular black wing-tip, vaguely remiscent of a Kittiwake (against Herring Gull)
• I see a clear flesh/rosy tinge to the legs. Yes, I learned from Lou and others here and the literature (thank you) about variation, but once I have detected the wrong primary pattern, I look and have more confidence in other features.

So, its either a Herring Gull or a Caspian x Herring Gull hybrid imo:
does the pattern on p9 with the clear and long grey are on the inner web, indicate Caspian Gull influence? No, I learned from here and Martin Gottschlings excellent paper, that some pure HG have this pattern, too: https://www.google.com/url?esrc=s&q...YQFnoECAgQAg&usg=AOvVaw2Iq-JCyM7dsm8_9S5hEAHf

And with a pale eye, a good head-bill jizz for a HG and a unmarked p5 and a complete black p10 (apart from the white tip) this is an adult Herring Gull imo.
But better for wait for the experts. Thanks in advance!

 

[lou salomon]

pure yellow-legged Herring Gull (common on polish coasts).

 

[AGDK]

Thanks to both of you.. I see I still have a lot to learn, when it comes to ID gulls..