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[hieraaetus]

Hi,

I took these pictures on January 21, 2010 in Hungary.

I only have standing pictures of this bird (back then I wasn't really into gulls:)

I would like to hear your opinion if this could be a 1st winter HG or not.

Happy Holidays!

Gabor

[Ies Meulmeester]

Hi Gabor,

Yes, it's indeed a 1ste winter/2cy Herring Gull!

Regards, Ies

[Ronald Klein]

I agree. Note the same colour of (worn) tertials and wing-coverts.

[hieraaetus]

Hi Guys,

thanks for the help!

Happy New Year!

cheers,

Gabor

[Ruud Altenburg]

But what features do fully exclude YLG in these pictures?

[Cristian Mihai]

But what features do fully exclude YLG in these pictures?

Good question!

[adriaens]

I think the brown hue in the tail band (most visible in the second photo) clinches it.
The tertial pattern and the barring in the outer greater coverts can be used as supporting features; both are rare in Yellow-legged Gull (but not impossible).
I am not sure if the pale wedges on the outer webs of the primaries mean anything here. They are suggestive of a pale window on the inner primaries, but they are actually present on at least P5-8, which is very far outwards even for a Herring Gull. Perhaps an anomaly ?

[hieraaetus]

I think the brown hue in the tail band (most visible in the second photo) clinches it.
The tertial pattern and the barring in the outer greater coverts can be used as supporting features; both are rare in Yellow-legged Gull (but not impossible).
I am not sure if the pale wedges on the outer webs of the primaries mean anything here. They are suggestive of a pale window on the inner primaries, but they are actually present on at least P5-8, which is very far outwards even for a Herring Gull. Perhaps an anomaly ?

Hi,

thanks for all the input.

here is a picture showing the tertials from closer. you can see that the outer ones have lost their wide pale edges and you can only see the remnants of the oak-leaf pattern.
I was hesitating between HG and YLG that's why I uploaded it here.
so far more votes have come to support the HG than the YLG. I will have to send description to the Rarities Committee anyway and we will see if they accept it or not. It's quite a good observation for this area (Hortobagy)

Happy New Year!

Gabor
http://www.raptorimages.hu

[Theo Muusse]

I think the colour of the coverts is very typical for Herring Gull too.
Normally, YLG has a obvious different one to it.
Theo

[JanJ]

One more vote for Herring.
I think as Peter that the tail colour is a clincher but I wouldn´t put all my money on it.
In fact, the immediate impression is of a clear cut Herring, on pattern and structure, especially the overall thin barring on the entire upperparts a good Herring feature, at least in combination with other pro Herring features visible on this gull.

http://gull-research.org/ylg1cy2cy/1cyd ... cy7963.htm

http://www.pbase.com/hans_larsson/argen ... 1&page=all

JanJ