This 2nd-basic nominate Yellow-legged Gull
(Larus michahellis michahellis) was photographed
by Martin Reid at Milton Landfill near Cambridge, England on March
10, 1999. Dick Newell picked out this bird and pointed out the
very white head (for a 2nd-Basic), shortish thick bill, scattering
of contrasty blackish wing coverts, semi-isolated "thumbprint"
at the tip of the tertails, and mantle gray darker than argenteus
(seen in direct comparison but not able to photograph it). Dick
tells me that this bird is a classic 2nd-winter northern nominate
michahellis:
- in the field the legs seemed to already be getting a yellowish
tinge
- note the changes in head shape across these photos:
- here with LBBGs which are probably "Dutch Intergrades"
(graellsii x intermedius) or full intermedius;
compare the michahellis mantle shade with the Black-headed
Gull (Larus ridibundus) bottom-left:
