Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus x Herring Gull Larus argentatus hybrid

This hybrid is reasonably frequent although not always easy to detect. Some can closely resemble Yellow-legged Gulls Larus michahellis and this one has been reported as such. Some can have brighter yellow legs than this individual, although this bird seems to show pinkier legs in the photos than they appeared in the field (where they looked more yellowish grey).

click for larger image click for larger image
click for larger image click for larger image
click for larger image click for larger image
click for larger image click for larger image
click for larger image click for larger image
click for larger image click for larger image
click for larger image  

Lesser Black-backed Gull x Herring Gull hybrid, Blakeney (Norfolk, UK), 13th February 2016

This bird was sound-recorded too - I'm not very good at creating sonograms so excuse these poor attempts! If you click on them you should be able to access the mp3 recording itself.

click for larger image
click for larger image

Lesser Black-backed Gull x Herring Gull hybrid, Blakeney (Norfolk, UK), 13th February 2016

 

This bird reappeared the following winter - and on this occasion I can say that the legs did not look any more yellow in the field than they do in the photos!

click for larger image click for larger image
click for larger image click for larger image

Lesser Black-backed Gull x Herring Gull hybrid, Blakeney (Norfolk, UK), 13th February 2016