hanno wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 2:27 pm And they are not "Seagulls", there is no bird with that name.

scott61 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 12:39 am

hanno wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 2:27 pm And they are not "Seagulls", there is no bird with that name.

But Hanno, I'm know I'm being pedantic (I'm sorry but can't help it), it's a herring gull (and a very attractive one if I may say so), and all herring gulls are seagulls, or, more accurately, gulls. However, not all seagulls are herring gulls.

These birds are protected species, but presumably it's OK with a magpie (a crow) which aren't protected. In short, you can have a bit bestiality with a Newcastle bird but not with a makem bird; a far superior species. We are tribal in the north-east of England. Just protecting our birds, sticking up for them if you like.

Freightdog wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 3:06 pm @hanno, humbly, and with all due respect, I defer to the ‘80s on this matter

The last time you went to the beach you probably had no trouble finding some wildlife in the form of a noisy flock of seagulls. But was that truly a seagull trying to make off with your lunch? Ask a bird researcher or check in a bird book and you’ll soon find there is no such thing as a seagull. What most people refer to as seagulls are actually birds in the scientifically classified family Laridae. Look in any North American bird guide and you’ll see this group listed as the “gull and tern” family with more than 35 species in it.

In a statement they said: “There is no such thing as a “seagull”, in fact there are eleven species found in the UK; the Black Headed, Common, Great Black-backed, Glaucous, Herring, Kittewake, Iceland, Little, Mediterranean, Lesser Black-backed and Yellow-legged Gull.

hanno wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 7:57 am

scott61 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 12:39 am

hanno wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 2:27 pm And they are not "Seagulls", there is no bird with that name.

But Hanno, I'm know I'm being pedantic (I'm sorry but can't help it), it's a herring gull (and a very attractive one if I may say so), and all herring gulls are seagulls, or, more accurately, gulls. However, not all seagulls are herring gulls.

These birds are protected species, but presumably it's OK with a magpie (a crow) which aren't protected. In short, you can have a bit bestiality with a Newcastle bird but not with a makem bird; a far superior species. We are tribal in the north-east of England. Just protecting our birds, sticking up for them if you like.

I do believe this is a Greater Black-backed Gull, mantle is to dark for Herring.

And "Seagull" is still wrong, as many gulls do not live anywhere near the sea.