Juvenile and 1st-winter Yellow-legged Gulls: some thoughts
OK, for want of something topical to post, allow me to present a few images of juvenile and 1st-winter michahellis type Yellow-legged Gulls taken here in Ireland.
Even when greater concentrations of gulls were found at various rubbish tips throughout Ireland, and when Yellow-legged Gulls seemed easier to find as a result, it seemed that both juveniles in late summer/early autumn and 1st-winters remaining to overwinter were unaccountably rare in Ireland compared to other age classes. When one considers that juveniles make up a large proportion of the late summer influx to other north-western European countries, it does seem strange that the same should not be the case here. Now, of course, the low observer numbers in Ireland, and even lower number of dedicated larophiles, can't help the situation, especially as birds of these age classes are more difficult to pick up in the first place than adult types. But those of us who were watching gulls intently rarely seemed to find them either, I certainly know I found it difficult.
My own first juvenile michahellis was as recently as August 2015 at Owenahincha strand in west Cork. I had gotten out to scrutinise a momentarily interesting-looking gull, which proved to only be a particularly white-headed 2CY Lesser Black-backed Gull, when I saw something altogether better that had been hidden behind a ridge. Unfortunately, I had forgotten my D-SLR, so I had to make do with phonescoped images that really don't capture the bird all too well. Suffice it to say that structure, plumage and even some of its jizz were all typical for michahellis, though you'll have to take my word for that based on this poor record shot
Having gotten over the mental block, I haven't exactly found lots more since, though the paucity of good sized flocks of gulls these days doesn't help. In early 2017, I traveled to Limerick city with Norma Gleeson and Leon van der Noll, attracted by the presence of a 3CY Caspian Gull in the city centre that was showing extremely well when present (though I had gone by bus already and missed it at that stage). While we and others on site were waiting, Des Higgins asked me what a 2CY gull was. It looked interesting on first glance, but it was sat on the water, making structural clues harder to assess, so I didn't make too much of it at that stage. I relocated it soon after at rest on a slipway, however, and it looked so much better, and clearly a 2CY Yellow-legged Gull. For all those whiter-headed 2CY Herring or LBBG, or small female 2CY GBBG, or anything else which can prove a pitfall, this bird at such close range was very striking and obvious. It was also very photogenic, as you can see below.
Later in 2017, on 14th August, I was birding at Blackrock Castle in Cork city with Seán Ronayne. One of our main targets at that time of year was Yellow-legged Gull, as there are often low double figures of birds at the pre-roost gathering there in August and September. We were also looking for juvenile gulls in particular, to get an eye in on variation shown by the commoner species, and I initially thought that a distant bird sat on the water was perhaps a juvenile Great Black-backed Gull, a small bird. Closer scrutiny revealed a few features at odds with this, the tertial pattern striking me as wrong especially, and we could identify the bird as a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull. Though distance and light meant that we only got poor record shots, which I won't inflict upon anyone here.
Three days later, we were back at Blackrock, and had some sliced bread with us. To our delight, we saw what looked like the same juvenile Yellow-legged standing on the mud, so we began to 'chum' by throwing whole slices of bread out. The bird flew in towards us and actually was one of the closer gulls once it had settled, enabling point-blank views of this subtly 'beautiful' bird and good images to be obtained also.
Late summer/autumn seemed to be good for juvenile YLGU in Ireland, by our usual standards, and I can think of at least two others that were well-photographed. In addition, Seán and I had a bird at Pilmore Strand at long range six days later that was too far away to completely prove but which probably was one (seen in flight as well as standing). It would be interesting to see if we're overlooking these more subtle age classes to any significant extent, and I, for one, plan on looking through groups of gulls to try to find some.
Even when greater concentrations of gulls were found at various rubbish tips throughout Ireland, and when Yellow-legged Gulls seemed easier to find as a result, it seemed that both juveniles in late summer/early autumn and 1st-winters remaining to overwinter were unaccountably rare in Ireland compared to other age classes. When one considers that juveniles make up a large proportion of the late summer influx to other north-western European countries, it does seem strange that the same should not be the case here. Now, of course, the low observer numbers in Ireland, and even lower number of dedicated larophiles, can't help the situation, especially as birds of these age classes are more difficult to pick up in the first place than adult types. But those of us who were watching gulls intently rarely seemed to find them either, I certainly know I found it difficult.
My own first juvenile michahellis was as recently as August 2015 at Owenahincha strand in west Cork. I had gotten out to scrutinise a momentarily interesting-looking gull, which proved to only be a particularly white-headed 2CY Lesser Black-backed Gull, when I saw something altogether better that had been hidden behind a ridge. Unfortunately, I had forgotten my D-SLR, so I had to make do with phonescoped images that really don't capture the bird all too well. Suffice it to say that structure, plumage and even some of its jizz were all typical for michahellis, though you'll have to take my word for that based on this poor record shot
1CY Yellow-legged Gull Owenahincha Strand, Co. Cork 22nd August 2015. Not much detail can be seen in this record shot, but the whiter head, with streaking concentrated around the eye and on the nape, along with the relatively faded ginger-toned juvenile scapulars (YLGU breeds earlier in the year than local large gulls, hence birds are often more worn by late August than HEGU or LBBG would be).
Having gotten over the mental block, I haven't exactly found lots more since, though the paucity of good sized flocks of gulls these days doesn't help. In early 2017, I traveled to Limerick city with Norma Gleeson and Leon van der Noll, attracted by the presence of a 3CY Caspian Gull in the city centre that was showing extremely well when present (though I had gone by bus already and missed it at that stage). While we and others on site were waiting, Des Higgins asked me what a 2CY gull was. It looked interesting on first glance, but it was sat on the water, making structural clues harder to assess, so I didn't make too much of it at that stage. I relocated it soon after at rest on a slipway, however, and it looked so much better, and clearly a 2CY Yellow-legged Gull. For all those whiter-headed 2CY Herring or LBBG, or small female 2CY GBBG, or anything else which can prove a pitfall, this bird at such close range was very striking and obvious. It was also very photogenic, as you can see below.
1st-winter (2CY) YLGU Limerick city 22nd January 2017. A very typical bird, though not with as many replaced 2nd generation coverts as some, and all tertials are retained juvenile feathers. Note the structure, the relatively white head (though not pure white, with streaking concentrated around the eye and on the nape) and the contrast between the grey-based scaps and the brown coverts and tertials. This contrast is normally much reduced, if present at all, on equivalently aged HEGU, and the 2nd gen scaps of LBBG are usually, but not always, smokier grey on the background.
1st-winter (2CY) YLGU Limerick city 22nd January 2017. Note the presence of some 2nd gen coverts, attained during the often more extensive post-juvenile moult compared to HEGU or LBBG, on which 2nd gen coverts at this time of year would be unusual, albeit known.
1st-winter (2CY) YLGU Limerick city 22nd January 2017. Compare the contrast between the 2nd gen scaps and the juvenile coverts and tertials with the similarly-aged HEGU behind.
1st-winter (2CY) YLGU Limerick city 22nd January 2017. The bird looks quite flat-crowned in this image. While the paler inner webs of the inner primaries aren't easily visible on the right wing from above, as the wing isn't fully spread, these can be seen from below on the left wing.
1st-winter (2CY) YLGU Limerick city 22nd January 2017. Again, note the typical flat-crowned head shape here that is often seen on YLGU, though it is dependent on posture, naturally. The streaked nape sets off the whiter ear coverts and crown well.
2CY Yellow-legged Gull, 3CY Caspian Gull and adult argenteus Herring Gull Limerick city 22nd January 2017. Possibly the only time all three species have been photographed together in Ireland?
Later in 2017, on 14th August, I was birding at Blackrock Castle in Cork city with Seán Ronayne. One of our main targets at that time of year was Yellow-legged Gull, as there are often low double figures of birds at the pre-roost gathering there in August and September. We were also looking for juvenile gulls in particular, to get an eye in on variation shown by the commoner species, and I initially thought that a distant bird sat on the water was perhaps a juvenile Great Black-backed Gull, a small bird. Closer scrutiny revealed a few features at odds with this, the tertial pattern striking me as wrong especially, and we could identify the bird as a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull. Though distance and light meant that we only got poor record shots, which I won't inflict upon anyone here.
Three days later, we were back at Blackrock, and had some sliced bread with us. To our delight, we saw what looked like the same juvenile Yellow-legged standing on the mud, so we began to 'chum' by throwing whole slices of bread out. The bird flew in towards us and actually was one of the closer gulls once it had settled, enabling point-blank views of this subtly 'beautiful' bird and good images to be obtained also.
1CY Yellow-legged Gull Blackrock, Cork city 17th August 2017.
1CY Yellow-legged Gull Blackrock, Cork city 17th August 2017.
1CY Yellow-legged Gull Blackrock, Cork city 17th August 2017. The head, bill and neck alone in this image would attract attention among juvenile Herring and LBBG in a NW European context.
1CY Yellow-legged Gull Blackrock, Cork city 17th August 2017. Again, much paler in general than most juvenile gulls locally, The structure would attract attention also.
1CY Yellow-legged Gull Blackrock, Cork city 17th August 2017. The inner primaries, with their dark outer webs contrasting with pale inners, are quite typical. Note the general structure, this bird having quite long legs (not all YLGU are as striking), the neat black tail band contrasting with a very white-looking tail and rump and the faded, almost gingery, tone to the darker markings on the flanks.
1CY Yellow-legged Gull Blackrock, Cork city 17th August 2017. An instructive comparison with a juvenile Herring Gull. Note the altogether 'younger' look of the HEGU, although it, too, appears to have moulted in one or two 2nd generation scapulars. These are fresher than the equivalent in the Yellow-legged Gull, though, and are difficult to distinguish in colour from the juvenile scaps. The 2nd gen scaps on the YLGU are already faded to appear to have a pale grey background. Also note the paler head, with any streaking more concentrated around the eye and on the nape, the exact tertial pattern (this overlaps somewhat with that of similarly aged LBBG, but would be unusual for HEGU), and differences in head and bill structure.
1CY Yellow-legged Gull Blackrock, Cork city 17th August 2017. In this spread wing shot, note the pattern of the inner primaries. These are usually pale on both webs in HEGU, producing an obvious pale 'window' on the spread wing, and both webs tend to be darker in LBBG, with YLGU somewhere in between in this regard, though there is overlap. The inner greater coverts are quite barred, with the outers darker, a typical pattern for YLGU but not diagnostic by any means in and of itself.
Late summer/autumn seemed to be good for juvenile YLGU in Ireland, by our usual standards, and I can think of at least two others that were well-photographed. In addition, Seán and I had a bird at Pilmore Strand at long range six days later that was too far away to completely prove but which probably was one (seen in flight as well as standing). It would be interesting to see if we're overlooking these more subtle age classes to any significant extent, and I, for one, plan on looking through groups of gulls to try to find some.
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