Anyone looked over the gulls at EBSW today? At approx 15:30 seen from Hardsough Lane. 1 Large pale gull, walking about, chuncky body more horizontal than Black Headed it was with. Stretched wings a couple of times and no obvious sign of black. Considerably larger than the crows that had the odd go at it. I would go for Glaucous, but it's legs seemed to be yellowish, but not bright yellow.
Gulls are difficult as without seeing it, it's hard. Did the primaries have any signs of black at all? Was it white or did it have any flecks of colour in ,and where? Bill shape or pattern?
If taking the possibility of Leucistic or Albianistic out then can only be Glaucous or Iceland I would have thought.
Good man to ask is Dave Ousey as he is one of the strange folk who loves Gulls!! Sorry Dave.
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Thanks Ste, It was a long way off through bin's!! I've been trawling the internet and am more or less convinced it's a 2nd winter Glaucous. Looked slight cream colour from that distance, and had 'rubbed mascara' look about the eyes and black tip to bill. The way it strutted about was the most impressive and had a go back at the crows in a casual way, like swatting flies. lol. The leg colour may have been the light..... you know that yellow thing up there in the sky today, must have been reflecting off the legs.
Ina, From what I have read in your posts,it sounds like a 2nd winter Glaucous Gull.During most winters these large gulls appear in roosts at the larger reservoirs like,Audenshaw,Fishmoor and apart from seeing them during the days visiting refuse sites go largely undetected! They are really large birds with a "fierce" look about them.The only worry in your description is the leg colour which is always pink,but the light can play tricks.Well done on finding the bird. Dave Ousey.
