what could be wrong with this seagull

[Lemars]

Please could someone give me some clue as to what may have been wrong (if anything) with this seagull - seen on a Kent beach in November 2008.

All the time I was watching it, it maintained the same wing position. I was so concerned (rightly or wrongly) that I tracked down an ornithological team from the Kent coast in the hope that they'd go and help it.

Unfortunately, they failed to get back to me as the the outcome, but I've always wondered why it held it's wings in this way.

Can anyone throw any light ? Under what circumstances might this occur - damage / unlikely to be birth defect or surely it wouldn't have survived?
A peculiarity of the individual bird ? It appeared otherwise unharmed and was eating happily, but surely it couldn't fly ?

I've wondered for 2 years and only just re-found the photos.
Thank you

[Lemars]

.....and ..............once again...........I forgot the ******* pictures. Here they are:

[RobS]

Is it 'saying' 'git orff my lovely fish' to anyone coming near it?

Looks like it's hiding its prey.

Rob S

[htcdude]

Yeah some of the raptors spread their wing over their prey once it's on the ground, to protect it from theft, maybe your gull is doing the same.

[Lance Morgan]

Interesting pictures
The bird looks otherwise healthy. It could be some sort of neuromuscular problem associated with damage to the spine hence the bilateral drooping of the humeri caused by weakness of by the supracoracoideus muscle.

[The Woodman]

Or it could just be "mantling" as described earlier.

[RobS]

Nothing like a good mantle is there

[Lance Morgan]

I suppose it could be.

[The Woodman]

"It could be some sort of neuromuscular problem associated with damage to the spine hence the bilateral drooping of the humeri caused by weakness of by the supracoracoideus muscle."

You were just on the point of convincing me Lance....

[Lance Morgan]

Lol :d