Common Gull - Larus canus
Second-years
Common Gull, Second-winter: Basildon, Essex - 19th March 2006:
Appearing very similar to adult in the all of the scapulars, mantle and wing coverts have been replaced with grey and the primaries are black with rounded tips and mirrors.
However the greenish-blue bill has a dark tip and there is an obvious black spot o the tertials which prove immaturity. In addition the wing tip mirrors and spots are small or have not yet developed thus the wing tip is still largely black.
Also not the clearly blue leg colour.
Common Gull, Second-winter: Two Tree Island, Essex - 6th February 2008:
There are clearly visible dark markings in the upper-wing primary coverts whilst the primaries large the large white tips of adulthood.
The bill, as in the previous bird, is greenish-grey with a dark tip however here the very tip of the lower mandible is also greenish.
Note the bold head streaking and barring across the breast and compare with Mew Gulls more subtle diffuse hooded affect.
Common Gull, Second-winter: Nimmo's Pier, Galway, Ireland - February 2009:
There is only the barest remnant of brown feathering in the outer marginal and lesser coverts whilst the primaries only have the smallest of white tips and the mirror on P10 is not yet obvious.
The bill is also greenish-grey with blackish tip with the legs being pale greyish.
Common Gull, Second-winter: Undisclosed Site, Essex - 13th February 2010
Similar to adult but note the brown wing coverts and dark tipped bill, there are no dark markings in the tertials or tail.
The tips to the primaries are small however the mirrors are large creating a surround for the tips of the outermost primaries.
Legs are bluish grey.