Exotic Gulls at RSPB Dungeness

Well, perhaps not that exotic, but very interesting to finally see these two relatives of Herring Gulls from warmer climates!

This is a Yellow-legged Gull, Larus michahellis, from Southern Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa, which was on the board as present and visible from the Scott Hide, but I am still glad to say that I did find it without it being pointed out to me, or knowing that it was still there.

Here is a reasonable picture of the bird, but a little blurry due to camera shake - the light had gone down much faster than I imagined, and I lost exposure speed in comparison to the fixed ISO and aperture. I spotted the very white head and yellow legs fairly quickly when I first saw the bird, but there are other features that I think can be picked out, according to the books and websites. The back and mantle are a trifle darker grey than the normal blue grey of the Herring Gull, although this can often be a little misleading, even minute to minute as birds turn from one angle to another, or the light changes.

Looking at the photo, it does look quite a "neat" bird, full-chested, perhaps slightly leaning forward, with a long "fuscus"-like rear end. The legs do look quite long, and the bill looks quite large and parallel-sided. It is certainly quite a bright bill, with an extensive red gonys-spot. The eye is quite small and beady at this distance, which was out in the middle islands on Burrowes Pit.