Is one Herring Gull?

[Javier Marchamalo]

The last Wednesday I saw in Madrid this gull.
I belive that can be one Herring Gull of second winter.
It's possible?.
Javier

[lou bertalan]

hi javier,

certain 2cy herring gulls indeed can look similar to your bird. it is however a 1st winter (1cy) - see very pointed primaries with hardly any pale at tips, no yellow tip to bill (in 2cy almost alwys large gulls have a more extended pale tip). the bird is still moulting its coverts. and a 1st winter with such an advanced covert moult can only be a michahellis that's what your bird is, an advanced YLG with many 2nd gen. wing coverts.
most 2nd winter herring gulls also have some grey in scapulars like in this: http://www.gull-research.org/hg/hg2cy/5412501sept.htm , especially argenteus, some with plain grey scaps like in michahellis. some are more retarded and look similar to your 1cy michahellis.

all the best,

lou

[marsmuusse]

Like Lou said, something like this (yesterday, IJmuiden, Netherlands).
She made me believe for a second I was watching a 1cy HG with replaced coverts and tertials ...

[lou bertalan]

yes, she's a good example how a teenager doesn't want to get an adolenscent - and it's the other species. she looks beautiful by the way, mars.
i got badly tricked by a bird i once photographed on gotland, 20.08.2008 i had no actual experience with 2cy herring gulls... this is the one http://www.netfugl.dk/pictures/birds_us ... _Kopie.jpg

IMG_0377 - Kopie.jpg (94.84KiB)Viewed 4892 times

IMG_0369 - Kopie.JPG (144.06KiB)Viewed 4892 times

lou