More barred axillaries in 1CY Common Gulls

The hard weather conditions continue, so Brambling and Fieldfare were back in the garden today, and when I threw some lunchtime scraps out to the gulls a Skylark was calling as passed overhead heading coastwards.

As the gulls were close I concentrated on taking shots of first winter (1CY) Common Gulls. I was hoping to get a better idea of variation in axillary patterning. As it turned out I managed to photograph four first winters within a short period. All show some barring, varying from barring on a single feather to extensive barring. These birds were different individuals to the one in the previous related post.


Bird with extensive barring on axillaries

  
Two birds each with traces of barring on longest axillary (unclear on r-h bird)

 Bird with strong barring on at least a single axillary on each side