ICELAND GULL NUMBER SIX !

I arrived late at the farm today but it wasn't long before I picked up an Iceland Gull on the main lake. It was very white and not too close so I assumed it was 'New Whitey', the bird that looks like a second winter but has a dark eye. It was quite bright so I thought I'd go for a pic, I did note that it looked particularly white on the coverts whereas I knew 'New Whitey' (pic here) had some brown tips but I put this down to the light and distance.

I managed to squeeze off one digipic and it took off and flew to the tip, no matter. Later on Devil Birder joined me and we scanned the Gulls without much success. After a while, Devil Birder picked up an Iceland Gull which was much closer but face on. As I looked at it, I noted a paleish iris which wasn't as pale as 'Old Whitey' but more reminiscent of 'New Kid on the Block' (pics here). I expected the bird to be the latter but as it turned three quarters on, I realised it was the bird I'd seen earlier and, being a second winter, different to the other birds. It then flew away from us and stood face on again and then disappeared altogether so I only managed to get one record shot of it. I hope it returns for further scrutiny and, ironically, it was the only large white-winger seen today.

Not a great pic but the only one I got before it flew. We had better views than this later and it had a pale iris. The plumage does not match either of the second winter Iceland Gulls we've had 

This Med Gull has less of a Hood than some of the Meds we've had recently. Like Black-headed Gulls, they abrade at different rates