[Bird]: Herring Gull

Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)

(Bird: Laridae)

27th June, 2014. Snowdonia (Wales-UK)

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Notes:

The most well known of all gulls at least in the West, and the typical "sea gull".  What few people realize is this species is a long and complicated series of taxon. One of the most variable gulls, herring gulls appear under several species and subspecies which are considered separate species by certain authorities, or just subspecies by others. As their appearance is individually specific, varies on geographical location and changes multiple times throughout their lives, identification of herring gulls is rarely easy, especially when several different varieties come into play.

I have seen this species in:

• Europe (GB)
• America (USA-Canada)

The first time I recorded this species:

ssp. argenteus 13th April, 2007. (UK), but I have seen it before this date.

ssp. smithsonianus: 24th July, 2008 Aspen Trails, Sherwood Park (Alberta-Canada).

[Bird]: Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

(Bird: Laridae)

Breeding adult. 8th July, 2013. Titchfield Haven (Hampshire-UK).

Non-breeding adult with sprat. 19th September, 2014. New Quay (Wales).

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Notes:

This stereotypically European bird reaches plague proportions in some areas. In the UK it is a "trash" bird for many birdwatchers and it occurs both inland and along the coast. It isn't unusual to see this bird in the most unlikely of habitats, even up at high altitudes in mountains. Sometimes they turn up on the east coast of America, where they are far more appreciated! 

Despite the name, black-headed gulls have brown heads in summer. In alternate winter plumage their heads turn white but they retain a spot of their brown head; the placement and specifics of this cheek spot can be crucial to ruling out Mediterranean and little gulls of similar plumage.

I have seen this species in:

• Europe (GB)

The first time I recorded this species:

15th August, 2006 at Lepe (Hampshire-UK) is my first record, though I saw it earlier.