Some studies of Iceland Gulls
One of the things that brightens up even a quiet winter is the annual arrival, predominantly during January and February, of varying numbers of Iceland Gulls. These birds tend to be quite widespread here in Ireland, with pretty much all coastal counties receiving a few every year, and, while peak counts of these and Glaucous Gulls tend to come from Killybegs in Co. Donegal, we don't do too badly for them down here in Cork either. In recent winters, there have usually been at least two or three birds along the river Lee in Cork city centre, and, as most have been juveniles, most records clearly don't refer to returning birds. Birds can often give good close views in this urban setting, but a juvenile that is currently present at Kyrl's Quay takes the biscuit, being perhaps the most approachable Iceland Gull that I have ever seen, anywhere.
So, without further ado, here are some of my better Iceland Gull images from this winter and previous years, mainly from Cork city but some from further afield also.
Juvenile (2CY) Iceland Gull Cork city, 15th February 2018. This bird tends to favour some quayside walls on Kyrl's Quay, often loafing for extended periods and allowing an approach to a few metres provided one doesn't make sudden movements. Due to the rather petite structure, rounded head, short bill and so on, I assume that this is a female bird. Classic individual in all respects, giving no suggestions of kumlieni. Note the quite two-toned bill, compared to the often predominantly darkish bill on 2CY kumlieni in late winter (though this is just a pointer, but a bill pattern like this is very typical in glaucoides of this age in my experience).
Adult Iceland Gull, Cork city 5th January 2018. This individual, found by Alan McCarthy back in early January, is also lingering on the river Lee at the moment. Unfortunately, it tends not to be as co-operative for photography, favouring lamp-posts as its loafing spots of choice. I haven't really bettered these efforts from shortly after it was first found. Adults are less regular this far south, but there's been a few over the years in Cork city.
Juvenile (2CY) Iceland Gull Cork city, 27th January 2018. This bird was present to at least 4th February, but it seems to have moved on again. This is a darker bird than the lingering juvenile, but the bill pattern and primary pattern don't really suggest kumlieni, at least to my eyes, and it's probably best labelled as a dark glaucoides.
Two juvenile (2CY) Iceland Gulls Cork city, 26th March 2017. By early spring, birds often appear quite faded, as with the bird in the foreground here.
Juvenile (2CY) Iceland Gull Cork city, 15th March 2017. This bird is very noticably faded, though there are still some scattered dark markings on the coverts, scapulars and so on.
Juvenile (2CY) Iceland Gull Limerick city, 22nd January 2017. This bird, again, seems quite petite and is presumably a female.
2CY Iceland Gull Cork city, 12th July 2016. While it is quite normal for 2CY birds to linger into early April locally, it is much more unusual for one to oversummer. This rather tatty-looking individual chose to do so in 2016. By mid-July, it is starting to look a lot more like a 2nd cycle bird in many ways: note the presence of some new plain grey scapulars and a paler iris, but the visible primaries are still retained juvenile feathers.
2nd cycle (3CY) Iceland Gull Cork Lough, 14th March 2016. Most records locally involve juveniles, with older subadults, in particular, quite scarce. This 2nd cycle bird was quite obliging at the former gull hotspot of the Cork Lough. There is often a push of new individuals in March.
Adult Iceland Gull Reenard Point, Co. Kerry, 11th February 2016.
Juvenile (2CY) kumlieni Iceland Gull Castletownbere, Co. Cork, 16th February 2014. This bird is very subtle, and was only identified from images that night, having been overlooked as a nominate Iceland Gull in the field. Note the dark outer webs to the outer primaries, with contrastingly paler inner primaries: darker glaucoides tend to have all of the primaries of equal darkness, but it's a very subtle distinction, and some birds are best left unassigned.
So, without further ado, here are some of my better Iceland Gull images from this winter and previous years, mainly from Cork city but some from further afield also.
Juvenile (2CY) Iceland Gull Cork city, 15th February 2018. This bird tends to favour some quayside walls on Kyrl's Quay, often loafing for extended periods and allowing an approach to a few metres provided one doesn't make sudden movements. Due to the rather petite structure, rounded head, short bill and so on, I assume that this is a female bird. Classic individual in all respects, giving no suggestions of kumlieni. Note the quite two-toned bill, compared to the often predominantly darkish bill on 2CY kumlieni in late winter (though this is just a pointer, but a bill pattern like this is very typical in glaucoides of this age in my experience).
Adult Iceland Gull, Cork city 5th January 2018. This individual, found by Alan McCarthy back in early January, is also lingering on the river Lee at the moment. Unfortunately, it tends not to be as co-operative for photography, favouring lamp-posts as its loafing spots of choice. I haven't really bettered these efforts from shortly after it was first found. Adults are less regular this far south, but there's been a few over the years in Cork city.
Juvenile (2CY) Iceland Gull Cork city, 27th January 2018. This bird was present to at least 4th February, but it seems to have moved on again. This is a darker bird than the lingering juvenile, but the bill pattern and primary pattern don't really suggest kumlieni, at least to my eyes, and it's probably best labelled as a dark glaucoides.
Two juvenile (2CY) Iceland Gulls Cork city, 26th March 2017. By early spring, birds often appear quite faded, as with the bird in the foreground here.
Juvenile (2CY) Iceland Gull Cork city, 15th March 2017. This bird is very noticably faded, though there are still some scattered dark markings on the coverts, scapulars and so on.
Juvenile (2CY) Iceland Gull Limerick city, 22nd January 2017. This bird, again, seems quite petite and is presumably a female.
2CY Iceland Gull Cork city, 12th July 2016. While it is quite normal for 2CY birds to linger into early April locally, it is much more unusual for one to oversummer. This rather tatty-looking individual chose to do so in 2016. By mid-July, it is starting to look a lot more like a 2nd cycle bird in many ways: note the presence of some new plain grey scapulars and a paler iris, but the visible primaries are still retained juvenile feathers.
2nd cycle (3CY) Iceland Gull Cork Lough, 14th March 2016. Most records locally involve juveniles, with older subadults, in particular, quite scarce. This 2nd cycle bird was quite obliging at the former gull hotspot of the Cork Lough. There is often a push of new individuals in March.
Adult Iceland Gull Reenard Point, Co. Kerry, 11th February 2016.
Juvenile (2CY) kumlieni Iceland Gull Castletownbere, Co. Cork, 16th February 2014. This bird is very subtle, and was only identified from images that night, having been overlooked as a nominate Iceland Gull in the field. Note the dark outer webs to the outer primaries, with contrastingly paler inner primaries: darker glaucoides tend to have all of the primaries of equal darkness, but it's a very subtle distinction, and some birds are best left unassigned.
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