Herring Gull? (1 Viewer)

[Michał Jaro]

Hi. I apologize for the bad photos, but I could only use digscoping and the day was very dark. The entire underside of the bird is uniformly dark, suggesting Herring Gull. But the head is white, only the eye is dark around it and there is a streak from the eye to the back of the head. Gull is smaller than Caspian standing around. So what you think?
(10 december, Podhale, Poland).

 

[lou salomon]

Either HG or YLG which also can be well marked on body. I guess it's a pale headed Herring Gull, not uncommon in Baltic populations. A 1cy female type (long wings, small size) and body structure is also in favour of HG.

 

[Michał Jaro]

Thanks so much Lou!. Good news for me, like other large gulls apart from Caspian, Herring Gulls are rare here and "wanted" by me. First one this year, great.

 

[leifvester]

Just bringing this up for my own learning!

To me, this bird looks like a first winter Yellow-legged gull.

Overall the breast appears deep, and the primary projection long.
I'm struggling to see any checkered pattern on the coverts, which I would particularly expect on a first winter Herring gull, although the resolution is poor.
The head is a contrasting white, and the crown appears flat to me.

With that said, I don't know much about the Baltic race of Herring gull.

Is there anything important I'm missing, or putting too much emphasis on?