Iceland Gull?

There was a bit of chat about the mantle being too dark for an Iceland Gull? Ignore the seeminly dark shades in the primaries - they are just a feature of the video-grab, and were not really on the bird. The bird had a reasonably large head and bright bill too. Was this a Herring Gull with amazingly white primaries? Or just a very dark and butch Iceland Gull? Please leave your comments under the post, or email the BedsBirds email group. Stewartby Lake, 18th Feb 2007 by Steve Blain.


Please see the photo in Birding World volume 12, number 2, page 63, plate 4 - this is a very odd looking gull as well and could be the same as the Stewartby bird? It is headed up as possibly either an Iceland or Glaucous x Herring Gull bybrid. However there was also talk of it being a 'Point Barrow' Gull, which is the longest-winged form of Glaucous Gull. Food for thought.