A few loaves late morning at Shakey Beach with LP was highlighted by this fantastic heinei Common Gull.
The best example of a 2nd cycle that I’ve seen in the UK. Picked up distantly with ease by its overall contrasty appearance: Clean white head, neck shawl and bright bill. Dark mantle and large wedge of black up each wing and long winged flight style.
Another bird with small mirror on left wing P9 and a tiny white spot on the right hand P9, all black P7 and complete band on P4. Black mark on P3, aswell as black marks in the secondaries and tail and also the outer greater coverts are fringed dark on this bird which are all good heinei indicators and clocest photos reveals the iris is beginning to pale – I believe this is unknown at this age in canus.
Below, a distant pic of bird alongside an obvious canus.
Laurence also picked up 2 first winter Yellow-legged Gulls, one of which Ive seen here recently, a rarer bird than Caspian in recent months!
PERDIX BIRDER 