Just for a change - a Yellow-legged Gull

August 18th 2014 - Topsham

This is a pretty straightforward 1st year michahellis. The whitish head and body with nice and contrasty mantle and wings made it stand out even before I raised my bins. A closer look soon confirmed my suspicions, luckily it also stayed around for a few photos.

Yellow-legged Gull 1cy - 18/8/2014 Topsham

Yellow-legged Gull 1cy - 18/8/2014 Topsham

Yellow-legged Gull 1cy - 18/8/2014 Topsham

Tertials with thin pale fringes not reaching base, dark wedge at base of outer greater coverts, median and lesser coverts simple pattern with little or no barring. Many scapulars replaced already - see the anchor-marks - whereas most/all HG and LBBG still showing all juvenile scapulars. Rump, upper tail coverts and base of tail white and contrasting with a neat black tail band.

And if that's not enough, some flight views showing a classic tail pattern and dark wing - though with a only faint 'window' due to the slightly paler inner webs to the inner primaries

Yellow-legged Gull 1cy - 18/8/2014 Topsham

Yellow-legged Gull 1cy - 18/8/2014 Topsham

Yellow-legged Gull 1cy - 18/8/2014 Topsham

Yellow-legged Gull 1cy - 18/8/2014 Topsham

Yellow-legged Gull 1cy - 18/8/2014 Topsham