Ok Iain....how is your gull recognition?  Haven't seen Jeff on the forum for a while to ask him as well.

I've had lesser black back gulls dropping in to steal the sparrows bread. Take a look at this pair........




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According to the ringing detail the one in the foreground is a lesser black back gull possibly ringed in Holland (although the smaller metal ring states Natural History Museum SW7 „).  What I want to know...is the the one behind it a yellow legged gull?  It's legs are obviously more yellow than the normal 'faded yellow' legs of a LBB gull and it's slightly larger. Of course there's a lot of variation on both counts but what made me wonder was it came on it's own and despite mingling with up to a dozen other LBBs it stayed a bit remote in behaviour and didn't leave when they all did. 

Mike my birder friend saw the photo small on the camera and is inclined to think it may be a YL gull...they are common along Norfolk coast. But it would be a first for my garden. 🥳🥳🥳. What do you think?

Last edited on Sun Jun 14th, 2020 09:05 by Iain