Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Yellow-legged Gull



1st winter Yellow-legged Gull, Long Drove Cottenham, 1st November 2006, © Dick Newell.

Although not looking long-winged enough in this view, this bird has a complete suite of features that make this identification easy, including: stubby bill, flat-topped head, shadow behind the eye, heavily anchored, pale-based scapulars contrasting paler than wing-coverts, solid dark tertials fringed white, dark 'hand' with window restricted to inner primaries formed by pale inner webs, and a big white, spotted tail with crisp black tail-band (RGN).

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