ID please - puzzling gull

Pekehour · #1 (**permalink**) 27-06-2011, 02:56 PM

Thought this was a Black-headed Gull, but something odd about it... then it came closer, and revealed that the dark hood extended right down the throat. Sorry it's a poor photo, but should be grateful for i.d.

nikolai_avenger · #2 (**permalink**) 27-06-2011, 03:24 PM

Looks like a Mediterranean gull.

Cheers. Nik.

diggleken · #3 (**permalink**) 27-06-2011, 03:47 PM

Hello Peke, welcome to WAB.
Where was that taken?
Most strange - the hood is unusual extending down the neck so far and the bill is too long and narrow too for med and black-headed in my opinion.
The only gulls I can find with those points are white-eyed gull and possibly sooty gull - but the narrow beak looks white-eyed as best bet.
That said, its not a speciesI know at all, so this is just guessing from books.
Anyone else?
Interesting.....................
Cheers
Ken

aeshna5 · #4 (**permalink**) 27-06-2011, 04:53 PM

It looks just like a Black-headed Gull to me with an unusual extension of the hood down the throat.

RKB · #5 (**permalink**) 27-06-2011, 04:54 PM

It's a normal Black-headed Gull, but it's just stretching its neck out.

diggleken · #6 (**permalink**) 27-06-2011, 04:58 PM

An aberrant thing!
I can fantasise cant I?
Cheers
Ken

Pekehour · #7 (**permalink**) 27-06-2011, 05:15 PM

The bird was photographed on the canal at Aylestone Meadows, Leicester, on the wide stretch of water above Freemen's Weir.

If it is a Black-headed Gull, it seems to me to have very odd markings - note that the dark hood goes further down the back of the head than normal as well as continuing down the throat. Here's another picture in case it helps. Sorry about the quality of the photos - the bird was just too far away.

aeshna5 · #8 (**permalink**) 27-06-2011, 05:20 PM

It is definitely a Black-headed Gull.

solus · #9 (**permalink**) 27-06-2011, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aeshna5

It is definitely a Black-headed Gull.

Agreed - but it's probably one of those tearaway types with a hoody like that covering its face! Have you checked your wallet's still there??

Seriously, not seen one with that much brown before.

Maybe his gran knitted it an' it stretched in the water..... sorry, it must be silly o'clock! Time for bed before I get any sillier....

nikolai_avenger · #10 (**permalink**) 28-06-2011, 08:12 PM

Following on from this thread I have been looking closely at BHGs today, there are quite a few with these kind of...'imperfections'...so to speak.... Can't say I've ever noticed before now.

Cheers. Nik.