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Viking or pure Glaucous?

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2016 8:27 pm
by Peter Stronach
Hi all,

just wondering whether you could give opinions on the attached photos. This is a 2CY gull that has been reported as a Glaucous Gull and has been at Ullapool on the west coast of Scotland since the 2015/16 winter and is still present. The new scapulars, the bill pattern and the breast feathering seem strange to me, and I was wondering whether it is a Viking Gull?.

All photos are taken this year and are dated so you can see the progression, thanks for any help,

Peter Stronach

Re: Viking or pure Glaucous?

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 3:33 pm
by marsmuusse
Hi Peter,

I opted for pure Glaucous at the very first glance of the first image, due to the overall plumage colour and small beady eye centrally placed in the head. However, I don't think it is pure. The dividing line on the bill is rather blurry and the pattern plus extent of moulted 2nd gen scaps recalls Herring. Also there seems to be a bit too much patterning on the primaries, although this is variable in Glaucous and darker birds are all over the web.