More First-winter Yellow-legged Gulls

First-winter Yellow-legged Gulls are still showing up at Shawell A5 Lagoons, Leicestershire. 

I may be seeing more 1st-year birds just because I've got my eye in, but it would appear that more of them are using the site this year than last.

First-winter Yellow-legged Gull

The one above was present about a week ago. The typical features are on show: a shortish chunky black bill; a whitish head with streaking around the eye and on the crown; second generation mantle and scapular feathers with thick dark edges; dark brown coverts with a few new lesser coverts and darker brown tertials with white fringing on the tips.

The bird above is featured in the short video below. One off photos can give a bird a different impression to moving images, so its good to study videos as well as stills.

First winter Yellow-legged Gull

I saw a second one on Wednesday dinner time, which I judged to be more robust with a different greater covert pattern.

First-winter Yellow-legged Gull