Help me with wader Id and Seagull ID

[bob.phillips]

Please help me with some ID's. Being based in the middle of the country, I am somewhat limited in the identification af some of the waders and sea birds and I 'KNOW' that there are people that can help. So a few questions about the pictures above,

Picture 1 - Sorry about the quality, but I'm still trying to get to grips with my camera and its big lens - What is it???. I've looked at pictures in books, but can't quite match it up

Picture 2 - My guess is Common Gull- but if so, is it juvenile, year1 or 2, or adult??

Pictures 3 and 4 - Herring gulls? lesser black backed gulls? or one of each?? Note - picture 3 shows a grey back and a black ( ish ) back on the 2 birds. Picture 4 shows both birds with grey backs. Honestly, I've not 'tweeked' the pictures - these are the same birds. Also one of the birds seems to have a ring on its leg. Does anyone know who is ringing gulls?? They both seem to be enjoying eating a fish head, which i thinks was being used by young boys for catching crabs!!!!

Regards,

Bob P.

[sleipnerofasgard]

number 1 is a Ruff

number 3 lesser black backed gull

number 2 looks like a common gull

Frank

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by sleipnerofasgard

number 1 is a Ruff

number 3 lesser black backed gull

number 2 looks like a common gull

Frank

Agree with these; 4 is also Lesser Black-back.

[John]

Hey Neil, stop getting up so early. Everything's answered by the time I get up.

BTW I agree with aeshna5's ID's.

John

[bob.phillips]

Thanks very much for your help on these, but I am still a little confused!!
Regarding the 2 birds in picture 3, are they both lesser black backed gulls ?even though one is somewhat larger than the other and one has a grey back whilst the other has a much darker (black? ) back.

Any possibility that the larger one could be a Herring Gull??

Regards,

Bob P.

[Jason Green]

Hi Bob,

RE: Gulls in pic 3, I know what you mean, but the only other ID for the smaller right-hand gull is the Common - which lacks the shown yellow eye and red pecking-spot on the mandible. I suggest it's just how the light's caught the grey upper plumage...

Both birds shown have yellow legs, the Herring has pink.

[big bill]

Hi Jason I agree with you I think 3 is the Herring Gull

[Adam Cheeseman]

I know the bird pecking the fish is smaller than the Lbb Gull, which should rule out what I'm going to suggest, but could it possibly be a winter-plumaged Yellow-legged Gull. It may be the angle and light but the mantle of the bird looks too dark to be a Herring Gull (the agg. group of Herring Gull species should be bigger than a LBB). It is clearly not a Common due to visible features. What do you guys reckon. Or is it just a smaller LBB.

I should mention I have a rather delicious glass of Zinfandel in my hand.

cHEERS,

aDAM

[Jason Green]

I'm don't think it's a Herring, as both these birds have yellow legs. The Herring's are Pink.

Adam, RE Y L'ed Gull: Yes, a good possibility.

[John]

I think the Primary spots look too big for a Y L Gull, but I could be wrong.

John