Iceland Gull with dark wing edges

This sub-adult Iceland Gull has been on Kilkee beach for the last two weeks along side the American Herring Gull.  I see Richard Bonser made comments online about it having a black spot on the left wing and dark edges to the outer primaries. I was intrigued, so I made sure to take shots and study the bird a little closer during my visit to see the AMG.  The bird had no black spots in any of the primaries, but a gap in the feather of P10 on the left wing and the edges of the wings were dark as Richard stated.  But most of the darkness on the under primaries was caused by sand and dirt that the bird picked up on the beach, as it scrambled for food with the other gulls. There was however some dark lines on the outer trailing edge of the primaries on the upper and lower of both wings that is not consistent nor the standard for Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides, but it did not appear to be anything else either such as Kumliens Iceland Gull from Canada Larus glaucoides kumlieni ?  I think it is just one of those that we will have to let go unless genetically tested.

 

 P10 is showing a lot of dark edges especially at the tip

 Here one can see the gap in the outer feather of P10

 Once again an indentation on P10 of the left wing

 The underside of P10 with sand spattered along the primary and dark edges to the outer tip

 Here the outer edges of all the under primaries appear dark

3CY or Sub adult Iceland Gull at Kilkee John N Murphy

Iceland Gull & Eel

This 2CY Iceland Gull was at the Community Hall at Lady's Island Lake on Thursday.  It managed to dig this Eel out of the muddy sand where it struggled for some time to wolf it down.  The Eel gave a good fight, but the gull was far too powerful and eventually gulp him down.  Nice tasty meal.

Iceland Gull eating Eel John N Murphy

Iceland Gull

While I was on the east Pier at Dun Laoghaire today, I could see a white-winged Gull in the distance flying along the west pier.  I scooted over to the Fish Shop where, when I arrived this first-winter Iceland was sitting on top of a Fishing Boat.  As I was taking shots Jimmy 'The Pecker' Murphy from North Wexford arrived, as he had spotted the bird earlier and seen me taking shots on the fishing pier.  We didn't get much of a chance for a long chat as both of us were rushing off to other appointments, but we took a load of photos of this bird and Med Gulls flying around.

Iceland Gull near the west pier at Dun Laoghaire © John N Murphy

Iceland Gull

Iceland Gulls have arrived on the Irish west coast from the North over the last few weeks. This first-winter bird was recently seen at Kilkee in the south west corner of Clare.

Iceland Gull, Kilkee © John N Murphy

Iceland Gull

At Reenard Point, Kerry tis evening there were three Iceland Gulls.  One adult, one third winter and a first-winter.  Here are a few shots.

Iceland Gulls, Reenard Point, Caherciveen, Kerry John N Murphy

Iceland Gull

This first-winter Iceland Gull was with the flock of Black-headed, Commoms and Ring-billed Gull at Glin in Limerick today.

Iceland Gull at Glin, Limerick © John N Murphy

More Iceland Gulls

Here are a small selection of some of the 17 different Iceland Gulls we encountered in west Clare yesterday 21st January 2012.

 First-winter Iceland Gull in a field near Farrihy Bay

 First-winter Iceland Gull in a field near Ross bay, Loop Head

A dark first-winter Iceland Gull near Cloghaun Lough, Kilbaha, Loop Head