4th September 2016 - Topsham
If walking the dog and staring at gulls counts as effort, I've been putting some in and seeing good numbers of big gulls at the Rec in recent weeks - someone's got to do it. The resident hybrid, a couple of colour-rings and a nice
intermedius Lesser Black-backed have helped to pas the time but there's been no more
michahellis since my first juv of the year on 13th August. I thought it was about time I had another and today was the day. This particular stunner behaved impeccably, preening, flying around and loafing; generally showing off and shouting; "look at me, I'm special!"
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqEhn2jF9ot1cgLjxSVMLAnc03_jDeNij-Bbv4Iup1uEPVe4bLunj89qR0wOxn9492GwKfJPAnnYe0ep0velCG9PFB8l3MxR-RtQ1LkChf0UAAD4QWoLqdo0bsiOtZNwdu-vyUvXw8bc/s640/DSC_6252.jpg) |
Yellow-legged Gull 1st winter - 4/9/2016 Topsham Rec |
It stood out immediately: a slim, long-winged and small-headed bird and so presumably a female; a striking white head with a strongly-marked neck, breast and flanks on a white background; at the back end a clean white vent and undertail and it's obvious from just this view that the outer tail feathers are largely white. There's a lot of new moulted scapulars while the wing coverts and the tertials are quite worn - in contrast Herring and Lesser Black-backed juvs are still looking pretty fresh.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrqa4_qvbw2W89ldTVDg7BzAJsU9lYk61Fin8XIgyNefj6PShIHJNDCwFBvnCCuFtgeZ8wWwQoL2ljpkq01IxmfujE2rbSbnhV5MIdel5f5mAXHxML8CcEyQKaaLFcMOlabGTibCw7Pk/s640/DSC_6282.jpg) |
Yellow-legged Gull 1st winter - 4/9/2016 Topsham Rec |
Classic
michahellis tail pattern and arguably quite safely identifiable on this view alone.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdgqhybkZBssEPW4kopMTXEBjrqvSky3jZCDO2CGjQyCW9fLtJlBUpnEodUPtoHJzgui9IQcpXpLcfFzAK9jAzQE30w3aQqF0LDGXAbCud7MuIt3F6hwxhb0tyf3NVrQI4zC8i1YFRbA/s640/DSC_6378.jpg) |
Yellow-legged Gull 1st winter - 4/9/2016 Topsham Rec |
A better view of those moulted scapulars with thin dark anchor subterminal anchor marks, just a few juvenile scaps left and contrasting with the dark wing - thin fringes to coverts mostly worn off now.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNAT9GmNxqm8LxAk4ucMQHHt1XRYS4L-mtZ_kneJT1vmzFYzBr23gnfeVNfAy_k1v0yajlPHZCUaCUUTEOlcCcoC3JlkacLkYk5sfwsyLPud270UAv7bmjnjIadxgGEPB3VrR0lMGzC4/s640/DSC_6391.jpg) |
Yellow-legged Gull 1st winter - 4/9/2016 Topsham Rec |
That classic tail pattern again - sharp black band narrowing at sides contrasting with stark white base and upper tail coverts and rump. The inner primaries only a little paler than the outers and solidly dark outer greater coverts.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlhv3b8kwkZuEwXB0tLshyEAoS1P8REInI8xJRCBD7cMbdSvcSmRMHxynPPGShovoJta1I7E12lBAV4pFe3ntS-rcYlCBBz59LHiXD8xqKdgfRwomESiu1hL2Aae9qSjwX19siH095YI/s640/DSC_6396.jpg) |
Yellow-legged Gull 1st winter - 4/9/2016 Topsham Rec |
Tail pattern just as marked from below.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk63lp798sFVOSa3nk_0G5sS1zR3goFM1r0XfGKHKFr0oIX4svpjbl2mHPmFRB_dpmjqFl5TuK01V8hmcPvrr1IW5fBdH5nzesW_gS7bZ32FnNKWIoyt2ELWTwXjCsvl8JifXCdRAlnwE/s640/DSC_6413.jpg) |
Yellow-legged Gull 1st winter - 4/9/2016 Topsham Rec |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12smXT3uT1NsnjqUXwkyaq43X5MUU3QA_yacgVVE6HvNQiOK3mUeSpDg0nuZEW-vltmBGl7d6WgrWTS1DkOwaGvhIya-Dz-SYDnS1mbirFm22wP4JVzvQGJcN6aWzxUJewM5glbSueZI/s640/DSC_6428.jpg) |
Yellow-legged Gull 1st winter - 4/9/2016 Topsham Rec |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWc90-kDJRAP96eRdjKINjFrlWf9HROCkRUUbAGnNuboUQ6cUxbjZLm6nbWCfmnd6JPMq09hbuyX2kX-KqJzTvwZfNHemNrIFC4vWC1u3Y5PgZknbE6ikQSIe1TrtdCyPf4xYXN_f1K8/s640/DSC_6432.jpg) |
Yellow-legged Gull 1st winter - 4/9/2016 Topsham Rec |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-gigKkkikRP4pdCxoNlth1zs6oG_wBzIzNn2a2qzVLv4Hn1DDZbTmv2qviOrlt7dBbLXYNrcvhxz57bg_nebAqBY0KuHDdmFAw0hBIWXacJ1bj37xEpbw_S7dJFonK1VCfQ1tTbc6v0/s640/DSC_6433.jpg) |
Yellow-legged Gull 1st winter - 4/9/2016 Topsham Rec |
I don't expect it will reappear, they hardly ever do, and without a colour ring there's no way of telling where it came from - the Med, Central/Eastern Europe or perhaps it's a
lusitanius from Portugal?
OK, it's not a rarity (but a lot scarcer in Devon than 'up country') but it'll do til the real rarity gets here.