Gulls in Steinhude (german midland)

[adriaens]

The pattern on the tertials (solid black center, with just one thin, brown anchor near the tip) and secondaries (solid black spots on bases; broad and prominent white tips) fits YLGull much better than Herring Gull.
I have never seen such an extensive, solid black-and-white "piano pattern" on the secondaries in Herring Gull.
Also, head streaking is very limited (with nothing on the neck), which is again much more normal for YLGull.
An all-white tail at this age is seen in only a minority of Herring Gulls, but is quite normal for YLGull.
Legs already have a yellowish tinge.

Therefore, I cannot see much reason to label this bird as a Herring Gull?

[lou bertalan]

i have wondered if it's not a YLG but didn't know about the secondary feature (contrasting black and white piano key pattern) as a more or less excluding one for herring gull. i wondered how common it is in 3rd cycle argenteus not to show any p10 mirror? otherwise on coverts it is slightly retarded for a YLG, while most of them show black on tail - in this respect it is "advanced".

lou