Great
pictures from Vin!
Of the
species suggested as options, in very brief summary, the Common Gull is an
altogether bigger, heavier bird, with a quite different beak, while Kittiwakes are
smaller with different beak and jizz, and black or red legs.
The bird
in the photograph clearly isn’t a ‘normal’ adult of any gull species. Given
then, that it is an aberrant individual of some species, what is the most
likely scenario? I don’t think we
need to look at northern hemisphere gulls.
The ‘suspect’
bird appears in the photograph to be in all respects identical to the accompanying
Silver Gulls save only for the colour of its soft parts. This does happen with gulls
and terns (and waders). Bear in mind, the beaks and legs of young Silver Gulls go
from altogether dark through yellowish-brown, before they normally turn to
crimson in the adult bird.
But for this
bird it hasn’t gone according to plan, and I agree with Tom Tarrant that it is an
interesting, aberrant Silver Gull.
Thanks
Vin, great fun to see your photos, and I’m waiting for someone else to jump in
with responses to the other interesting photos you’ve posted.
Bill Jolly
“Abberton”,
Lockyer Valley,
Queensland.
Visit our website at http://www.abberton.org
Email:
Ph: (+61) 7
4697 6111 Fax: (+61) 7 4697 6056
-----Original
Message-----
From:
[On
Behalf Of K,K&E Lindsay
Sent: Tuesday, 22 July 2003 4:46
PM
To: Birding Aus
Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] Yellow
Billed Gull
The
beak and legs of this mystery gull look very much like the Common Gull of
Europe but the wingtips are jet black with no whit spots which resembles
Kittiwake.
Any
other ideas.
