Saturday, 5 May 2012
Gull conundrum - any comments welcome.
Some 500 large gulls (+ a single Common Gull) were in fields between Abergwyngregin and Aberogwen following a plough. This presumed 2cy bird was interesting, however I can't see anything other than an early (or very late) moulting Herring Gull. The bird was darker than all the other 2cy birds, at a different stage of moult and was large ( I don't recall having seen primary moult this early before). Could it be a very late moulting 1st year 'argentatus' Herring Gull? Surely primary moult this early would point to southern origin? Interesting, but perhaps not interesting enough to be a goodie. Any comments at all would be good.
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Response from Martin Garner-
ReplyDeleteAs for this bird I just can’t see enough to ID it myself- also you are entering the scary zone of moult, wear and mess in immature gulls at this time of year.
Hypothetically it is of course possible to be a lingering argy. Like 1st summer Glaucous that occasionally just spend summer well south of breeding area, I see no problem- less urgency to go to breeding area as not breeding. We did see some 1st summer argy in Varanger but not many- most gulls were adults
So if you think it looked OK- then prob was one
Martin