C o m m o n Gull s h o w i n g characteristics apparently consistent w i t h North American race The North Norfolk coast is excellent for observing gulls, with strong passages of the commoner species occurring frequently throughout the year. Being gull enthusiasts, we both critically examine tens of thousands of Common Gulls Lams canus of the nominate race annually and consider ourselves to be extremely familiar with all variations in plumage, size and structure of this subspecies. During one such westerly movement of Common Gulls, at Sheringham on 28th December 1991, our attention was instantly drawn to a most odd-looking second-winter bird. It came in from the east and flew slowly past us at a range of only about 40 m. We were standing on a cliff-top vantage point; at first it was flying just higher than cliff-top level, then just lower, giving excellent, close views, in perfect light, of both its underside and its upperside. It was clearly in second-winter plumage, but differed markedly from typical secondwinter canus in the following respects:(1) Axillaries, greater, median and lesser underwing-coverts, and median and lesser under-primary coverts, with extensive and obvious brown fringing and tipping. (All these feathers are unmarked white on canus.) (2) l i k e canus, extensive blackish-brown on outer primaries, greater primary coverts, median primary coverts and alula, but, unlike canus, blue-grey lesser coverts, median coverts, secondaries and tertials also had extensive brown marking's. Thus, the only feather-tracts of clear blue-grey on