Large gulls at Nimmo's

Some shots of first-winter European Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls from Nimmo's Pier on Sunday, mainly to show the variation of birds present on the day.
Lesser Black-backed Gulls are probably rarer than Iceland Gulls here in Galway during the winter. Surprising given how many winter along the South coast of Ireland each winter.

First-winter Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier 15th December 2013.

First-winter Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier 15th December 2013.

First-winter Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier 15th December 2013.



First-winter Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier 15th December 2013.

 

First-winter Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier, 15th December 2013. Interesting looking bird, almost American Herring like in some respects with a whitish head and upper breast which contrasts with a brown neck shawl. It has dropped all its median coverts for some reason which reveals the solid mud brown bases to the greater coverts.

Juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull, Nimmo's Pier, 15th December 2013. This bird has previously been reported as an intermedius by some just on account of its unmoulted scapulars, that's a new on me..?!

Juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull, Nimmo's Pier, 15th December 2013.

Juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull, Nimmo's Pier, 15th December 2013. A second smaller bird also with unmoulted juvenile scapulars.

Juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull, Nimmo's Pier, 15th December 2013. A second smaller bird also with unmoulted juvenile scapulars.