I spotted another interesting gull at Shawell recently. It was amongst hundreds resting on the bank between the two lagoons. It looked like a Herring Gull, but it had obvious yellow legs. Unlike the recent probable hybrid Yellow-legged x Herring Gull, I could see no reason to suspect it was a hybrid. It is only a few days ago when talking about the probable Yellow-legged x Herring Gull that I said 'I considered 'yellow-legged' Herring Gull, but I would have liked to have seen a few dark streaks on its head at this time of year'. Well this gull has no obvious head streaking, but I believe it is a Herring Gull. The only thing that niggles me is the squarish head, which is more like a Yellow-legged Gull L.michahellis, but overall this gull feels much more like a Herring Gull.
Its legs are clearly yellow when compared to the pink legs of the nearby ordinary Herring Gulls. It had a longish white tip to P10, P9 had a white mirror split with a black band between the mirror and the white tip and P5 had a small dark mark on it. Its eyes had reddish orbital rings, which were similar to what is shown by adult Yellow-legged Gulls. Its mantle appeared slightly paler than the nearby Herring Gull, but this is not obvious in the photos. It was very bright at the time and the photos have been effected by shadows. Gulls on the bank are always difficult to photograph when the sun is out because until late afternoon you are looking to some degree into the sun.
Many Herring Gulls from the Baltic are said to have yellow legs and are described as having a black sub-terminal spot on P5 in adult plumage.
Below is a photo of the spread wing, although a LBB Gull has got his head slightly in the way and covered the longest primary. A small black spot is visible on P5.
This suggests that it may well be a 'Baltic yellow legged Herring Gull'. These yellow legged Herring Gulls are often referred to as being omissus type Herring Gulls, although the original omissus or Marsh Gull has been spoilt by mixing with ordinary western argentatus Herring Gulls. The omissus bit is now used to point out the yellow legs rather than refer to Marsh Gulls
The more time I spend looking at these gulls the more I see. Hopefully that will result in me finding something really good eventually.
Just after seeing this gull, I found another adult gull, which looked to be a combination of Caspian, Yellow-legged and Herring. Its body shape and wing length matched Caspian Gull, its bill was more Herring Gull like and its legs were bright yellow and its mantle colour was more of a match for Yellow-legged Gull L. michahellis. That one has been firmly dispatched to the no idea section of my mind.
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| Putative 'Baltic Yellow Legged Herring Gull' |
Below is a photo of the spread wing, although a LBB Gull has got his head slightly in the way and covered the longest primary. A small black spot is visible on P5.
This suggests that it may well be a 'Baltic yellow legged Herring Gull'. These yellow legged Herring Gulls are often referred to as being omissus type Herring Gulls, although the original omissus or Marsh Gull has been spoilt by mixing with ordinary western argentatus Herring Gulls. The omissus bit is now used to point out the yellow legs rather than refer to Marsh Gulls
 |
| Putative 'Baltic Yellow Legged Herring Gull' |
The more time I spend looking at these gulls the more I see. Hopefully that will result in me finding something really good eventually.
Just after seeing this gull, I found another adult gull, which looked to be a combination of Caspian, Yellow-legged and Herring. Its body shape and wing length matched Caspian Gull, its bill was more Herring Gull like and its legs were bright yellow and its mantle colour was more of a match for Yellow-legged Gull L. michahellis. That one has been firmly dispatched to the no idea section of my mind.