Hybrid Ring-billed Gull / Lesser Black-backed Gull.

[richard lowe]

This interesting bird was present at Albert Village Lake, Leicestershire, England on 24th February 2016. It (or a very similar bird) has been present intermittently in the midlands since Feb 2012, when it was first seen at Priorslee Lake, Shropshire and tentatively identified as a Ring-billed / LBB Gull hybrid. A similar hybrid has also been seen in Spain.
This bird is between Common Gull and LBB Gull in size, with a mantle shade similar to canus (or michahellis) - i.e. much darker than is typical for Ring-billed Gull. The bill shows a neat black band with a suggestion of a red gonys; the eye is pale (whitish) with a red orbital ring; the legs are yellow. Interestingly, the head is unmarked white, whereas in Feb 2012 it was strongly streaked. See video-grab for primary pattern.
In an evening gull-roost situation, this bird could cause some identification headaches!
I would value any opinions or information on this unusual hybrid combination.
Kind regards to you all, Richard Lowe (Derbyshire, England.)