small Herring Gull ?

[adriaens]

Just checking: this is a small Herring Gull and nothing else, right ?
Seen today on the beach of Koksijde, Belgium.
It looked as if someone put the head of a Ring-billed Gull on top of the body of a Herring Gull...

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[JanJ]

Hello Peter.

Firstly, I can´t make up my mind about the innermost grey feather , a secondary or a primary. It has somewhat the shape of a secondary. My point is the pattern of p5, in the case that is the one. If it where to be p4 it would certainly be unusual for Herring.
Moulting head, a part of the looks of this (seemingly) dark-eyed female Herring in imo.


Cheers
Jan

[adriaens]

Thanks Jan. Head moult is certainly a factor here, but note also the small and short bill.
That grey feather is the innermost primary, so the black pattern starts on P5. A dark pattern on P4 would not be that unusual (see e.g. birds 2, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 19, 23, and 24 on http://picasaweb.google.be/Zorkyyy/3rdCycleHerringGull#), but it would probably be not this extensive indeed.

[JanJ]

Not so clear there regarding unusual with a mark on p4 at this age type. Meant of course the shape of it.

Jan

[lou bertalan]

Not so clear there regarding unusual with a mark on p4 at this age type. Meant of course the shape of it.

Jan

true for that block like shape, - and the apparent length of p6 mark.. (looks all black of what can be seen of it).

lou