[Length 21 in. Wingspan 54 in.]

Lesser Black-backed Gulls are fairly common in western Europe and northern Africa, and have increased in number along the eastern Canada and US coasts during the 1980s and 1990s. What was once a rare bird in New Jersey is now a regular fall, winter, spring, and, occasionally, summer visitor. This one was a regular (and reliable) fall visitor for many years at Brigantine NWR, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a 300mm f4.5 Nikkor ED lens on Kodachrome 200 film pushed to 800. (Date: November 1991)

[Length 21 in. Wingspan 54 in.]

This Lesser Black-backed Gull was photographed at Baltasound, Unst, Shetland, Scotland, Great Britain. Photo taken with a Nikkor 105mm EDAF-D f2.8 lens (EFL=157mm) on a Nikon D100 camera. (Date: June 6, 2004)

[Length 11 in. Wingspan 24 in.]

This first winter Little Gull was photographed at Port Aransas, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Nikkor 300mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens + Nikkor TC17E II 1.7x Teleconverter (EFL=750mm) on a Nikon D300 camera. (Date: February 17, 2011)

[Length 11 in. Wingspan 24 in.]

This Little Gull was photographed at Titchwell RSPB Reserve, Norfolk, England, Great Britain. Photo taken with a Nikkor EDAF 300 f4.0 lens on Kodak Elitechrome 200 film. (Date: May 2002)

[Length 11 in. Wingspan 24 in.]

This winter plumaged Little Gull was photographed at Holgate, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 64 film. (Date: July 1983)

[Length 11 in. Wingspan 24 in.]

This winter plumaged Little Gull in flight was photographed at Holgate, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Ektachrome 200 film. (Date: July 1983)

[Length 11 in. Wingspan 24 in.]

This Little Gull was photographed at Titchwell RSPB Reserve, Norfolk, England, Great Britain. Photo taken with a Nikkor EDAF 300 f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: May 2002)

[Length 11 in. Wingspan 24 in.]

This adult (left) and first year (right) Little Gull were photographed at Titchwell RSPB Reserve, Norfolk, England, Great Britain. Photo taken with a Nikkor EDAF 300 f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: May 2002)