Some of our coastal birds are easy to identify while others can be a bit perplexing. Most beachgoers know the Seagull (real name is Silver Gull) which is famous for snatching and devouring your chips at the beach.  But there are a couple of other Gulls, slightly larger, which can be easily mistaken as the same bird species. They are the Pacific Gull which is reasonably common along our stretch of coast, and the far less common Kelp Gull. But even birds within the one species can look different depending on the maturity of the bird! So here’s a little guide to help you, just in case you thought you had found a rare Skua or wayward Albatross on the beach!