Unidentified Gull

 Unidentified Gull, Isleham Washes, 22nd November 2020 © Simon Henderson

'Just thought people may be interested in the attached photos of a bird I saw at Isleham washes on 22 Nov and whether you could post them on the CBC gallery.  I thought it was a little gull initially due to its small size in comparison with adjacent black headed gulls (see attached pic) but on closer inspection it clearly wasn’t.  I’d forgotten just how small Bonaparte’s gull is and it wasn’t until some weeks later and a chance conversation with another birder (Jeremy Holding) that it dawned on me that this was most likely an adult winter Bonaparte’s gull. I’d be interested to know what you and others think.

 Apologies to all for not identifying it immediately and alerting others to its presence but the thought that it might be a Bonapartes didn’t even enter my head.' SH

Thanks to Steve Cooper for responding as follows:-

'The gull on the web site is a Black headed gull most likely female due to size , the ear spot is small (large in Bonaparte's) the bill is bye coloured red and black it matches the other Black headed standing behind (black and spikey looking in Bonaparte's ), the nape is white (grey in Bonaparte's) and the the dark bar across the the crown is large even on this over exposed photo (small in Bonaparte's) Never under estimate the difference in size between male and female gulls.' SC