Gull in the Garden

[Old World Warbler]

Today, I saw a gull in the garden, I didn't manage to get a phot of it and didn't really get a glimpse of its beak but I can say it was the size and shape of a BH gull but wasnt one as it had yellow legs. It was in adult plumage apart from some brown spots on the neck. I was thinking common gull but the legs were way much more yellow than green even though it was in mostly all adult plumage, any other possibilities than common gull?

Note, I do live inland in Bedfordshire so any gulls that fail to scavenge inland in winter can be ruled out.

[Old World Warbler]

Also, I would like to ask (also without a photo) am I describing a dunnock when I say a purply bluey grey wings with black spots on a brown bresat, or did I get my colours mixed up. It was in the garden for abou 5 seconds the other day and doesn't look too much like a dunnock. But supposing in that instance I got the colours mixed up the wrong way round or something, could it still be a dunncok, or is it somethig else?

[Russ Heselden]

Hi OWW

Your gull sounds like it might have been a first-winter Black-headed Gull (i.e. one which fledged this summer); these have yellowish pink legs, not the red of an adult. You should have also noticed some darker markings in the wings compared to an adult bird. Well done on picking up the 'odd' leg colour. No need to rush for the camera!

I have to say that your other bird does indeed sound like a Dunnock.

[Old World Warbler]

If I'm honest after viewing the images on google images I'm not drawn to Black-Headed Gull at all. The bird had a fully complete adult plumage no brown on the wings no other exceptions. The birds on google images seem to all have bits of brown and other colours. I wouldn't say the gulls legs were completely yellow (Although I didn't make it sound very clear), they were more grreny yellow than pinky yellow. The only first winter picture that had usual adult plumage-like feathers had much more reder legs. I am personally, from browsing common gull photos drawn to common gull. The legs were much more yelow than the birds I looked at on google images even with the brown bits plumage. Thanks for your help and I hope other people can help us out on getting to the bottom of this.

And thanks for the dunnock conformation, much appreciated.

:smile:

[Old World Warbler]

Sorry about all the drama and for posting up an unnecessary forum but I have found the bird it was. The common gull adult winter plumages illustration was identical to the bird I saw today. I know it's hard to identify a bird you've never seen and black-headed gull juvenile was a great guess from not seeing the bird but I have photohgraphed it in my mind and found the answer. A first winter black-headed gull was too brown as my bird had a fully developed adult plumage and the brown head spots a winter plumaged common gull has. It had more yellowy legs than a black headed gull 1st winter as well.

No Way am I a :lovegulls: