A decent view of a Yellow-legged Gull in the county is possible! Above and below, Pennington Flash, September 2008 (Ian McKerchar)

This article is not intended to be a definitive treatment of Yellow-legged Gull for it's identification already widely exists but in it I intend to bring the main features for identifying adult (and which can also be useful for sub-adult) Yellow-legged Gulls and the pitfalls we may and indeed have encountered. Immature plumages are not dealt with in this article, they are rather more complicated and perhaps requires even more of a degree of understanding but they may well feature at a later date. The most comprehensive and instructive publications for the identification of Yellow-legged Gulls (including immatures), written by far more eminent birders than myself, remain the basis for increasing your knowledge and understanding, they are:

Garner, M., Quinn, D., & Glover, B. 1997. Identification of Yellow-legged Gulls in Britain. British Birds 90: 25 - 62, 369 - 383.

Grant, P.J. 1986. Gulls:  a guide to identification. Second edition. London.

Jonsson, L. 1998. Yellow-legged Gulls and yellow-legged Herring Gulls in the Baltic. Alula 4: 74 - 100.

Olsen K.M. & Larsson, H. 2003. Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. London

Rather than intending to be definitive or ground-breaking, this article aims to bring Yellow-legged Gull to the attention of county birders, those birders with modest gull experience but a yearning to further their knowledge, those with nagging questions or doubts or perhaps those just intent on merely adding  a tick! Either way, it is blatantly intended to be cautionary, purposefully intent on advising 'walking before running' and advocates that the whole foundation for identifying Yellow-legged Gull (as with all other gulls) is that familiarisation with other, commoner species of gulls remains the key.

'On the safe side'- a dark mantled, pristine and pure white-headed 'Herring Gull' during September in a county gull roost should always attract further attention and as in this case, ought most often prove to be a fine adult Yellow-legged Gull but caution is still advised and they really are 'more than just a mantle'! Audenshaw Reservoirs, September 2007 (Rob Adderley)

There is no excuse for not learning the commoner and more familiar large gull species first, winter county gull gatherings are easily accessible (see the article 'Gulls Glorious Gulls- a guide to gulling in Greater Manchester' here), Pennington Flash has an easily viewable large gull roost and often a daytime gathering also, permits for Audenshaw and Heaton Park Reservoirs are still available for those with a burning passion but the close proximity of Moore Nature Reserve and Arpley Tip in Cheshire undoubtedly provides perhaps the premier viewing of vast numbers in relatively comfortable surroundings (absolute luxury compared to Audenshaw!) and usually bestows views as close as your heart's desire.

The key though, is to really get to know the larger species, study them for birds that look different, are they really different, if so then why? Field notes are the best way of ensuring you're really studying them, so draw and scribble the pattern of those greater coverts, scapulars or tertials, of the variation in head shape, photos too provide an excellent reference although relying on them solely, especially when little field study of the bird may have taken place, can be a potential recipe for disaster.

Taken in the UK in July it's got to be a Yellow-legged Gull right? Wrong! For a detailed discussion and analysis of this particular bird see here (Pete Berry)

THE STATUS OF YELLOW LEGGED GULL IN GREATER MANCHESTER

The first confirmed record of Yellow-legged Gull in the county was in 1982 when an adult was seen at Audenshaw Reservoirs on the 27th of July but at the time was of course only considered to be of the 'Mediterranean race' of Herring Gull.

In considering just how many Yellow-legged Gulls have been recorded in Greater Manchester I have taken on a minimalist approach, airing on the side of caution when considering birds potentially lingering at or returning to a particular site and this will inevitably lead to slight under recording but this is undoubtedly offset by the impossibility of gauging the movements of individuals between the two main county sites of Audenshaw and Heaton Park Reservoirs, which undoubtedly occurs. On the whole, the data below is fair and reflective of the true status of Yellow-legged Gull and whilst every effort has been made to be as exact as possible it is not intended to be exact!

Above: Obviously the increase in observer awareness and understanding of the species in recent years has directly impacted on their status and apparent occurrence in the county and the blatant rise in sightings from the year 2000 onwards undoubtedly has atleast something to do with increased observer coverage at the two main sites of Audenshaw and Heaton Park Reservoirs but whether this demonstrates a true rise in the occurrence of this species in the county is impractical to assume. Adults clearly remain the most common plumage by a large margin, representing 89% of all Yellow-legged Gull plumages encountered in the county with the remaining plumages represented by 4th winters at 1%, 3rd winters at 6%, 2nd winters at 3% and 1st winters at 1%. The immature plumages of Yellow-legged Gulls are of course both more difficult to identify and more poorly understood by and large, but their rare occurrences at well watched sites in the county with observers familiar with their appearance clearly indicates that on the whole, plumages other than adults are indeed rare in Greater Manchester.

Above: Yellow-legged Gulls have been recorded in the county during every month but the peak is evidently mid-winter. Once again though, serious county gullers  tend to begin their regular nightly roost vigils during late September and October and tail off during late March but it would still seem that the chart above does reflect their occurrence as one might expect though it would be interesting to see if future specific targeting of roosts in August especially (at a time when more recent observations seem to indicate the presence of individuals) would produce further sightings.

Above: Audenshaw and Heaton Park Reservoirs evidently dominate the above chart, they have the largest of the county gull roosts and the keenest and most numerous gullers, so it comes as no real surprise! The two county refuse tips both suffer from a lack of available viewing and the Astley birds came from early in the period when observation was possible (and Health and Safety was less of an issue!) and the Pilsworth individual was caught during a ringing program conducted on the tip itself on the 12th September 2000. Scotmans Flash continues to attract one or two birds and the movement of gulls through the site from tips to the north and south will no doubt continue this trend whilst Pennington Flash too maintains an annual occurrence of Yellow-legged Gulls and has in fact become the only other county site other than the 'big two' (during 2008/2009 especially) to preserve a fairly regular presence of birds, increased scrutiny of it's nightly gull roost would no doubt reinforce this. Records from all the other sites in the chart occurred early in the evaluated period and none has any recent records.

Above: 4th winter Yellow-legged Gull, Pennington Flash, January 2009 (David Winnard)

PAGE 2: MORE THAN JUST A MANTLE- IDENTIFICATION OF ADULTS

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