Yesterday was Argentatus day..

I spend a reasonable amount of time grilling gulls, but have to say I have found it harder than expected in Fife to get Scandinavian Herring Gull. I thought these on the E coast of Scotland in winter would be straightforward with a bit of effort. I've picked up a few now but they remain surprisingly scarce. Come to think of it, I've yet to see Iceland or Glauc in Fife which is also surprising.
Perhaps due to the winter storms there was certainly something going on with Scandi Herring Gulls yesterday. Firstly a, shall we say, bracing walk out to Kincraig Point. A short seawatch didn't produce much other than a steady westerly trickle of gull passage but amongst this movement I picked out 5 Ad Argentatus. I check nearby at Kilconquhar Loch produced 1 bird, then 4 different birds identified at Levenmouth.

This individual passing Kincraig Point had a particularly striking wing pattern; big unbroken white tip to P10 and lot's of white on the inner primaries. A hooded appearance suggesting heavy head streaking is also apparent.

The bird at Kilconquhar Loch.

This brute of an Adult Argie at Levenmouth had a begging  Juv/1st W in tow. This young bird is likely to be an Argentatus purely because it is begging from the adult, but I think there are also clues in the plumage. They retain Juv plumage later than our British Herring and this bird looks to have some retained Juv scapulars and wing coverts.

Another bird at Levenmouth. Presumably a 4th winter, still with a few slight signs of immaturity. Unbroken white tip to P10, long pale bill. This bird had very dark grey upperparts.