Rong 24 January 2013 - Viking Gull?

It remains calm sunny and freezing.

Barely out at all today. A 10 minute stroll from the house with the dog produced two Snipe enkeltbekkasin together - both different birds to yesterday. Goodness knows how they are surviving.

A trip to the bank (honest!) paid off with a probable second year Viking Gull (Herring / Glaucous hybird). In the field I was struck by the paler primaries which lack contrast with the rest of the wing and seem to have broad pale edges. I snapped a few record shots but it flew before I could get any closer and I didn't have time to relocate the bird.

Anything rarer would probably have had a darker bill and a more rounded head.

Nor have I had time to look at the photos in any detail so any comments welcome.

Here are some record shots of this bird:

Bright sunlight is not what you need when looking at gulls....but the primaries certainly look pale enough here

Primaries and tertiaries pretty much the same colour

Underwing would have done a Glaucous gull polarmåke proud...

Pale broad tail band.....

Pale primaries with broad pale edges obvious in this picture

And finally two Herring Gulls gråmåke with a Great Black-backed Gull svartbak between them

This really shows how dark the primaries are on "normal" Herring Gulls (if there is such a thing as a normal gull)