Gull ids

littlebug

Do I have these right? Apologies for the poor quality.

Black backed gull? Lesser?




Both juvenile herring gulls?


Juvenile black backed?


Ring billed gull or herring gull in funny lighting ?



I know this is a black headed gull but I think they're the prettiest so didn't want to leave it out!:)

Feargal as Luimneach

Adult great black backed gull (GBBG). 1st bird
Strong bill
Trailing edge of wing is full not unbroken as in LBBG
deep chested appearance and huge size

2nd winter herring gulls. 2nd bird
Note pale grey mantle feathers coming out
Broadly notched tertial edges, in LBBG tertial black with narrow white tips

2nd winter GBBG. 3rd bird
Large size like first bird
bill appears too have lightish base, mostly black with white tip

2nd winter common gull. 4th bird
If it was a ring-billed gull it's upper parts should be paler grey like the black headed gull (last photo). Upper parts are dark grey in bird.
There are two ring-billed adults at the pier today, they have pale iris this bird appears to have dark coloured iris.

Adult winter black headed gull. 5th bird

littlebug

Thanks Feargal, 2/5 room for improvement so

Where were the ring billed gulls? I was down at the Spanish arch side for a while and it was all black headed and herring gulls.

Feargal as Luimneach

littlebug wrote: »

Thanks Feargal, 2/5 room for improvement so

Where were the ring billed gulls? I was down at the Spanish arch side for a while and it was all black headed and herring gulls.

You got 4/5 not 2/5:) I could also be wrong also though withe some of the ages!
I wasn't there myself this year, just saw there was two adult ring-billed gulls on Irishbirding.com. The RBG is usually confused with the common gull especially juvenile winter, 1st winter, 2nd winter plumage. Note the difference especially in the darkness of the grey on the upperparts, the RBG is much lighter than the common gull. It is more noticable when the two different gull are side by side. Iris colour is pale on adult RBG, but dark on CG. The ring on the bill is not a good distinguishing feature. The RBG will be much smaller than Herring gull and will be comparable in size to the CG.
They will most likey be there for the winter so you have plenty of time to get them. There is also a winter plumage Forster's tern there you will see him down around the beach. I'm surprised the Iceland and Glaucous gulls aren't there yet.
Rossaveal (fishing harbour) is also a great place near Galway city for gulls. I saw a Franklin's gull there once. There are loads of common seals there as well.
The RBG could be anywhere around the pier.

littlebug

Ros a'mhíl (Rossaveal) :pac: is great though I'm usually hauling bags and children on and off boats so don't have time to look properly. I posted some gull photos from there a while back. The BBGs above were on Inis Mór as was the common gull. I'll try to get back to the pier by myself to look out for the rbgs next week when the little people are back at school though the youngest is probably better than me at gull ids

LostCovey

littlebug wrote: »

Ros a'mhíl (Rossaveal) :pac: is great though I'm usually hauling bags and children on and off boats so don't have time to look properly. I posted some gull photos from there a while back. The BBGs above were on Inis Mór as was the common gull. I'll try to get back to the pier by myself to look out for the rbgs next week when the little people are back at school though the youngest is probably better than me at gull ids

Mandarin Duck at Waterside yesterday too, 1st county record apparently http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/web/Display/sighting/29752/Mandarin_Duck.htmlr.

LostCovey

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

2nd winter common gull. 4th bird
If it was a ring-billed gull it's upper parts should be paler grey like the black headed gull (last photo). Upper parts are dark grey in bird.
There are two ring-billed adults at the pier today, they have pale iris this bird appears to have dark coloured iris.

Adult winter black headed gull. 5th bird

Feargal, a chara,

Aontaím leat faoi na faoileáin thuas ach amháin leis an ceann seo.

Could you enlighten me and educate me on why this isn't a full adult, which I would have called it.

What are the second winter features you see on it?

Thanks in advance.

LostCovey

Feargal as Luimneach

LostCovey wrote: »

Feargal, a chara,

Aontaím leat faoi na faoileáin thuas ach amháin leis an ceann seo.

Could you enlighten me and educate me on why this isn't a full adult, which I would have called it.

What are the second winter features you see on it?

Thanks in advance.

LostCovey

Gabh mo leathscéal,
Ceapaim go bhfuil an ceart agat
( I think you are correct).
The mirrors on the primaries appear too big for 2nd winter. The legs appear too yellow in colour.:o

LostCovey

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

Gabh mo leathscéal,
Ceapaim go bhfuil an ceart agat
( I think you are correct).
The mirrors on the primaries appear too big for 2nd winter. The legs appear too yellow in colour.:o

Go raibh míle maith agat a Fheargail.

CóibhíCaillte