I love checking through the flocks of large gulls on the Axe on stormy October days - the month that is the best to see non-juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls here. And this afternoon proved that once again...
Whilst scanning through a big gang of mostly Great Black-backed Gulls north of Coronation Corner I saw this...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_407cV8aBA4_lgYseV1T9ESDKYFwsm5gvYqOrmybTjdeDpqPv44bBeBZSlqZaNgE1I7i62ErPEFtR13p2arDBkTU3YYqDi00Osrh_eo6U0K5a6cKesS4auW_9Kczixgazzhbk-X47NE/s640/3adYLG.jpg) |
Striking mantle colour |
It was distant and tipping down with rain, and at first I thought it was an adult Yellow-legged Gull, but soon I could just make out it's leg's weren't exactly bright yellow and there were some dark marks on the bill, so decided it had to be a near-adult. Not long after I saw it much closer...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4aBNEwqaz6qfnr3teADU_r5XbX3LCueMJd8mpy3LDRcDrnu1pl9ZavC3dqIi7jwqwN6j2QadHkg7kFWmO04K4MGPCkdtejfLVKDV6e92LpehzmNZiNZkG0QjT37SLRZA_A88OK10Xvs/s640/3adYLGb.jpg) |
A big bird! |
Up close the legs did look very pale (just tinged yellow), and that marked bill combined with very adult-like upper parts says it probably is a fourth-winter, although could be a well-advanced third-winter maybe? An absolutely massive beast though - it's going to look amazing in a year or two!
Also in the flock were three Common Gulls, two Med Gulls (ad and first-winter), this cracking intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gull...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpN_R7gPTtGnLgW7xyJA7Q3lbz2Sm4rA28Khtre5eMnbuY5GOZTgRq88Jebupv8Y5S0FHO0PYYEj6ie9I3uXr2MvWudt8e7SLKf5uzbSSZSAwLs8NK1MRuzatnT7bm23xsM0fjQIWV68/s640/intermediusLBBG.jpg) |
On the right - really long-winged |
And then this appeared...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQftpzI6s1iBkBxXaghKqtvnUJMUBaLKlm_LwL5nffhpoQjhoi5dqcsKenGv0IcMJMLvrKZ2MKmW2i2SobKxjqMcS7NMzmyk2-xDH6ioe_xPbFiBUf3Yh7l-HXNMF7nCr6quQbQIHA2t0/s640/2wGullc.jpg) |
Between the male Mallard and Great Black-backed Gull |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq7RGhs8NM4xGIf4ZVs0b6-LGP2ohl3s4Kvid7PmAUYMgqo6eUY4YZkbbG0GcySdU9kFaJBvGTyqYTA-USYsQU8A7CVp4Hr-FBwNaB_zzyZG6NaKADf_39oMxpez5X1XQkI2xZH2jxXxc/s640/2wGulld.jpg) |
Yup - that one! |
My immediate reaction, I think mostly due to the neck shawl combined with fairly mature looking upper parts, was second-winter Casp! But a bit more watching soon put me off, particularly with that feeble looking bill.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxiqOmUqqpyG3ZTXjtcok0IYVRPK4FAUZ32ZgAdyGpYHqIalgTh304HZk-Scuf2xPDMq1JaTjz-JQJhahGbUfe8C459jAwA78cz0Oj-ozI366b8qAHMOnxkOdE3K8S5WtJTmdKkcyPjs/s640/g2wGullf.jpg) |
Still looked pretty good at some angles |
I had to leave it quite abruptly, but thankfully when I returned an hour later it was still there - well a bit closer actually...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cYRerjWKstNyg70KRG4PFtfHPllp1NVnXx8eMjYO7mGdghDWrNloPPYtrxkrTqlOSf7D4JoeFwLpb57CXOaw5oqmewk3IfR4QCM6SqstekSTOWx6hdzixDf48pOqJUdww18VtE_25mw/s640/2wGull.jpg) |
Looking really dinky here - sometimes even reminded me of a Common Gull! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPTodadHKpwSy8Ft8Wj34WVv2qt4uE0lB6xzQ14QBta99zp9-CnoGh5kp1Y-Tw8g6_3pUfRPWsL0Zo6zbYj97vUBRc4oOcWe3bAt6hak4LqaeAL4VfX3qjwwXiCYSQyIH5HLOqf8bohk/s640/2wGullb.jpg) |
Note mantle colour - looking pretty good for a Casp being just a shade darker than the Herring |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEolZs12qN20WD1p3T7WsClMImq7G9mPDeF4QHAxvx-sKM78gg7T1oAiBk8_9Dtguj3OfM7xXgk7EY3U-6zOm_SznJJ80hmW-eTmaWQgPVWnMlicS6fiGaaoAZfuCqCzKIuIO8yY8hRc/s640/2wGulle.jpg) |
Still from a video |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5XmML_jauMew7eIc_TLjsuE0ZO67UmL1v2c72_kJjBmFkYIL8TUBYYCqsj5TaIs-SbnMTHBTz_ecsp17JmbWrbQz8v_TogTmGx2cp2YI0bXNkt2KrlB6r8QxDg45OiJjXfySnwI0HSY/s640/2wGullf.jpg) |
And again. Wing pattern looking ok actually |
So what it is? Well for me, for now, it's going in the 'cactus' group (CaspianxHerring hybrid) - I just don't like the small bill and head, the pale eye, dusky streaks around the eye, as well as the lack of giraffe-like neck and long wings. But, as Brett has pointed out in a flurry of messages this evening, there is a chance it could still be a pure small female Casp. If you've any thoughts do let me have them, thanks :-)
Other bits and bobs that I've seen today in the valley include; 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Dunlin, 70 Wigeon and 100 Teal.
Looking at the weather for the week ahead, expect more gull-posts...