Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Any gull fanatics.

Found this yesterday and briefly today in Foxhill park Queensbury along with Common gulls.
Still in summer plumage with characteristics of Common but much smaller, BHG size, with very slender neck and thin bill. Poor photos as through the mist. Mew has been suggested, any thoughts.
BS.


     Subspecies or just oddball ?

                                  Common for comparison
BS

7 comments:

Andrew Huyton said...

Interesting Gull Brian, take a look at this site for images of Mew Gull, http://johnrakestraw.net/category/species-profile/
certainly look very similar and given the weather conditions in recent weeks highly possible. I'm no gull expert, wouldn't even say I spend alot of time looking at them full stop but on your photo evidence think I'd come down on the side of Mew Gull, well done for picking it out.

Brian Sumner . said...

Thanks for that Andrew , as you say it points to Mew Gull with the slim bill and slender neck. It was still knocking about today but very mobile so hoping to get some better pics. May send those in to Birdguides to see if I can get it confirmed.
Thanks again.

heavy birder said...

Looks like a Common Gull to me, Mew Gull has a shorter bill than Common. In the photos the bird seems to have a longer bill than the Common Gull shown below.Not sure but I dont think there as been an acceptable reord of Mew Gull in Britain yet ???

heavy birder said...

It would be helpfull if you could get some shots of it along side a normal looking common gull.

heavy birder said...

Looks like a Common Gull to me, Mew Gull has a shorter bill than Common. In the photos the bird seems to have a longer bill than the Common Gull shown below.Not sure but I dont think there as been an acceptable reord of Mew Gull in Britain yet ???

AndyC said...

Its a runt/oddball.....I reckon ,but well picked out,only a matter of time before you get the balls back... Bri.........

Brian Sumner . said...

Thats what Im trying for Andy, Ive a space to fill on the fireplace.
No pellets for you yet, looks like the Soil Hill SEO has moved on, a Pheasant was using the roost on Sunday.