Probable 1st winter Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) in Apulia, S Italy

Finally the new edition of the Collins Bird Guide reports in the distribution map of the Herring Gull the flyway crossing the continental Europe and the wintering range of the Upper Adriatic. However most wintering birds in N Italy are adults and sub-adults, so we suspect that most 1st winter birds go forward to the south, being undetected in the local flocks of Yellow-legged Gulls. This is a picture taken by Vitantonio (Tonio) Altieri at Bari, Adriatic coast of Apulia, S Italy, on 3rd February 2010, that shows a probable first winter Herring Gull. Any comments are welcome:

Ok, I´ll be the first.
There seems to be some second generation coverts in the upper row of the median coverts near the bend of the wing and possible in the middle og the greater coverts. This would not entierly exclude a Herring, although this is rare in Herring, but it it does make it interesting together with the pattern of the outer greater coverts, quite similar to - lets say, michahellis. Moreover - the angle is not the most ideal but it wouldn´surprise me if the next pic of this gull (if there is one or more?) would come up with a michahellis, inspite of the perhaps rather well marked underparts. However, the coverts looks surprisingly fresh for this time of year.

JanJ

One very similar 1stW Herring Gull from Mediterranean Spain:
http://gullsincatalonia.blogspot.com/2010/02/1-w-herring-gull-l-argentatus-14-02-10_15.html