large white bird !

[samthejoiner]

I spotted a large white bird soaring above Ulverston in Cumbria last week. At first I thought it was a Gannet it had black wing tips. as it passed over it was apparent it wasn't. it looked like a large fulmar with prominant black wingtips underneath, soaring with stiff wings. I could only think it was a great black backed gull but maybe it was something else ??? put me out of my misery someone.

[Dave Appleton]

Originally Posted by samthejoiner

I spotted a large white bird soaring above Ulverston in Cumbria last week. At first I thought it was a Gannet it had black wing tips. as it passed over it was apparent it wasn't. it looked like a large fulmar with prominant black wingtips underneath, soaring with stiff wings. I could only think it was a great black backed gull but maybe it was something else ??? put me out of my misery someone.

Hard to imagine what else it could be apart from a gull. Many of the Herring Gulls that winter here are big brutes, so I wouldn't rule out Herring Gull, especially if you didn't see dark on the rear edge of the wing, which you probably would on Great Black-backed.

[samthejoiner]

Oh well, could well have been that, I've been watching birds for 40 years, it did strike me as being something different !! thanks for answering