Common Gull - Larus canus
Juveniles
Common Gull, Juvenile: Undisclosed Site, Essex - 31st January 2009: Oddly this bird is still pretty much still in juvenile plumage at the end of January. The vast majority of the Scapulars and Mantle feathers are dark centres first-generation whilst the wing coverts are a milky brown tone.
The greater coverts are solidly dark with paler tips, more prominent towards the inner feathers.
The Median coverts have pale tips and fringes with the central feathers darker markings.
The lesser coverts are darker brown centres with pale fringing.
The Tertials are dark brown centred with broad white tips and fringes.
The under-parts are whitish with brownish mottling, most prominent on the breast and neck sides extending onto the lower hind-neck where more solidly uniform.
The Head is small and pale with light streaking, more concentrated around the largish eye whilst the bill is slender, dark tipped and pale pinkish based.
The bird has an elongated appearance.
Common Gull, Juvenile: Westcliff Seafront, Essex - 22nd August 2003: A more typical date of juvenile Common Gulls in south Essex, this bird being an earlier digiscope attempt but surprisingly one of only a few juveniles photographed.
Note the over all pallid tones to the upper-parts with a greyish wash to the outer greater coverts whilst a number of scapulars have been replaced with next generation grey.
Also note th whitish ground colour, slender bill and long rear ended appearance.
Common Gull, Juvenile: Undisclosed Site, Essex - 27th February 2010: For the time of year this plumage is unusual.
Here the bird is still in near full juvenile plumage though a number of the mantle and upper scapulars have been replaced.
The head is pale and contrasts strongly against the chocolate brown hind neck and neck sides and is finely streaked. The brown extends down to the belly however the rear belly to the under-tail coverts are white with diffuse and limited chevrons, most prominent on the under-tail coverts.
The juvenile scapulars are dark brown centred with plain pale fringes creating a scalloped affect.
The lesser coverts are dark centred with broad fringes whilst the median and greater coverts are plain pale greyish brown with pale whitish tips.
The tertials are dark brown centre with broad pale greyish-white tips and fringes.
An interesting bird.
Common Gull, Juvenile: Undisclosed Site, Essex - 29th January 2011:
There has been an increase in he numbers of mostly juvenile plumaged Common Gulls being seen locally in mid winter, this was one of about three different birds on this day.
As with the other mid winter juvenile type Common Gulls above note the heavy mottling on and around the neck with whiter contrasting white head.
This bird only has a few replaced scapulars, the pale grey feathers, which on most typical Common Gulls at this time of year should show a near complete grey 'saddle'.
The bills is fairly bright pink recalling Ring-billed Gull, and bright pink legs.
Perhaps this bird is of a further east extraction than most visiting Common Gulls and has a suspended moult and long primaries?