Kelp Gull

Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein, MHK, 1823 (0, 1)

Photo © Lip Kee Yap, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

STATUS

Coastal western and southern Africa. Iberia. Polytypic.

OVERVIEW

Very similar to the Black-backed Gulls but the dark eyes, bulging lower mandible, greenish legs and a broad white trailing edge to the wings with very little white in the primaries are the features to look for.

The individual seen could not be assigned to one of the five races.

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BBRC RECORDS

1). 2022 Cambridgeshire Grafham Water, 3CY, 1st to 10th August, photo..

(British Birds 115: plate 402; P. French, British Birds 116: 525-527, plates 310-313; L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 569; BOURC (2024), Ibis 166: 348; R. M. Patient, British Birds 117: 259-270, plates 203-211 & 214-218).

P). 2023 Cambridgeshire Grafham Water, 4CY, 18th June, photo; presumed returning individual.

(R. M. Patient, British Birds 117: 259-270, plates 219-222).

P). 2024 Cambridgeshire Grafham Water, adult, 6th to 7th August; presumed returning individual.

(birding information services).