Hi there
I have to admit that I find ID-ing gulls one of the most difficult things to do with bird watching
The Juvs 1st and 2nd year confuse me no end {confused}
I have posted some pictures of gulls some of which are easy to ID and others I struggle with
Love to hear what people have to say about them
Pictures posted next .. when the links are not so slow!
Regards
Kathy and Dave
hi Lloyd
Waders 5 years, Warblers take 10 years and gulls never EEEK ... LOL ....... now that is a great way of expressing how we know our birds.
I was told it takes 5 years to really know 'ALL' your bird species so i will now extend that a little further LOL {hehe}
I have seen the Yellow Legged Gulls abroad in Spain and they are quite distinctive. As as you say they are white as a gull can get. The Auduion's is a easily noted Gull because of its beak colour (adult)
The famous ones I get totally confused with are the Common Gulls and the LBB Gulls as they look the same shade of pale Grey to me. Same applies to the Meds and the Black Headed Gulls with the head colouring
I did not know that the gulls take different times to moult depending where they are in the UK.
So big question are the Juvs in my pictures on this thread all Juv Herring Gulls and which year?
Unknown said: As a good friend of mine once said "Waders 5 years, warblers take 10 years and gulls never"... The only way to master gull identifications is to be out there looking and obsevring them in the field. look for differences in structure and moult. Some of the larger gull species such as herring gulls have 5 plumage stages or ages i.e. Juvenile, 1st year - all the way up to 4th year birds, difficult enough yet? well within this, different birds moult at different stages dependant on there range in latitude. So pour example, birds breeding further south will generally commence breeding earlier than those further north, and so the post breeding moult will be observed at different times as well. If you were to sight a very tidy brilliant white looking herring gull at the moment its more likely in fact a yellow-legged gull. Our resident herring gulls are still in moult and will be more dusky and tatty in appearance.. hope that makes sense! :)
As a good friend of mine once said
"Waders 5 years, warblers take 10 years and gulls never"...
The only way to master gull identifications is to be out there looking and obsevring them in the field. look for differences in structure and moult.
Some of the larger gull species such as herring gulls have 5 plumage stages or ages i.e. Juvenile, 1st year - all the way up to 4th year birds, difficult enough yet? well within this, different birds moult at different stages dependant on there range in latitude. So pour example, birds breeding further south will generally commence breeding earlier than those further north, and so the post breeding moult will be observed at different times as well. If you were to sight a very tidy brilliant white looking herring gull at the moment its more likely in fact a yellow-legged gull. Our resident herring gulls are still in moult and will be more dusky and tatty in appearance.. hope that makes sense! :)
Love your stories everyone LOL - what a laugh we have with some of the antics of our birds.
I remember being on the ferry boat going across to Isle of Arren and a Gull stole my sandwich right out of my hand. I stood in shock, and my friends thought it was hilarious.
It did not even hurt me so it was well trained with its habits.
Wish i knew what type of gull it was but it was too quick for me!
What a good topic, have lol at the stories. I'D is difficult though isn't, it, Remember as a child they were just big Seagulls or wee Seagulls.
Where I live we get a lot of greater black backed gulls and black- headed gulls. For the GBB and LBB I go by the leg colour (although it isn't always easy to catch sight of)
Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow has a wonderful key to identifying gull species.
As for the criminal nature of the things, on the first day of our sumer holiday in Helston, Cornwall I was stalked for half an hour by a flock of GBBs whilst eating a bag of chips in the street. Wife and 3 kids ran screaming into the distance amidst bemused locals but as I was hungry (we'd just driven from Lanarkshire overnight) I braved it. I think I earned their respect......
I even love magpies
Hi,
Birdwatching magazine will be covering the ID of Mediterranean and Black headed Gulls in an upcoming issue.
Mediterranean gulls are now breeding in increasing numbers following the massive increase in wintering numbers since the 1970s :))
S
For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides, binoculars, scopes, tripods, etc - put 'Birding Tips' into the search box
just found this post-
1- Common gulls- mostly adults
2- Black headed gull on railing
3- Black headed gulls and Herring gulls with feral pigeon
4- Great Black Backed gull
5- Herring gulls
:))