A rather beautifully plumaged young Lesser Black-back
Getting some bad press lately have our gulls. Bad in both senses: ill informed and basically wrong, Or is there something more sinister afoot? With the rise in the idea of re-wilding are the press barons trying to create an unease of nature: how can the prospect of lynx and wolves get any public support when the problem (of our own making) of rogue gulls makes the headlines. It's all crap of course but totally in keeping with the environmental philosophy of this incredibly damaging and stupid government. So gulls join foxes, badgers and any raptors as baby eating monsters that should be destroyed. Meanwhile dogs, who account for 200,000 injuries a year (and are baby eating monsters), continue their charmed relationship with reality. The dog caliphate reigns supreme. Strangely my affection for gulls is on the increase.
So while out getting a proper soaking on Sunday, and when I should have been counting the fleeing Swifts off south, I was tackling the thorny issue of young gullage; and the identification of young Yellow-legged Gulls in particular. We could of course wait for an adult to turn up, as they usually do in October, but no I want to nail a young one for the sake of learning. So there will be more of these pictures unless someone agrees with my incompetent deliberations. You have been warned!
Today's suspect: eye patch, big black bill, feathers, tail band, feint windows... er that's it!
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