Yellow - legged Gull 21/08/2015

Yellow-legged Gull, Axe Estuary, 21/08/15 ( Copyright T D Wright )

Yellow-legged Gull, Axe Estuary, 21/08/15 ( Copyright T D Wright )

Yellow-legged Gull, Axe Estuary, 21/08/15 ( Copyright T D Wright )

I usually only see Juv YL Gulls after others have seen them first, so, with no sightings on the Axe for a month, this would be a first self-found juvenile for me - if accepted - so I'm posting these phonescoped images to hopefully support rather than undermine my claim. The bird was large enough and had the correct tertial and greater covert patterning. The tail was white enough which can be seen in the video clips. There were a few 2nd Gen. feathers on the upperparts which, in August, points to YL. In flight, the inner primaries were just a touch paler than the outers which also suggests YL. The bird would still be classed as a juvenile but just beginning to moult a small number of scapulars into 1st Winter plumes.