I was pleased to see Ullapools resident Viking gull still at the harbour today,
now resplendent in its adult summer plumage. I first saw the bird in July
2017.
Viking gull is a hybrid glaucous x herring gull, but I have to admit, if this
came in at the Pennington Flash gull roost 30 minutes after sunset on a cold,
dull windy evening in January, and landed on the water 200m distant, I'd be
calling this as a glaucous gull. I think it was perhaps more obviously a
hybrid when it was in it's various immature plumages, see below.
There's an obvious creaminess in the primaries which shouldn't be there
on a pure glaucous gull.
....and some of these open wing shots seem to emphasis that.
However it's not so evident on these flights shots.
but then again....
Here it is a 2nd summer bird in July 2017.
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