Pterodactyls in West Yorkshire

[kags]

We live in Huddersfield, in a very urban area around 70 miles from the nearest coast. This morning we saw an enormous bird fly over our garden, it was greyish (but hard to see details as we were looking up into the sun) and had a very long yellow bill. It was significantly bigger than a crow, and my children both thought it was a pterodactyl! My bird book suggests a gull of some sort, but I have never seen gulls in the area before was wondering if is likely to have been a gull so far inland.

[gen2]

How about it being a heron?

[tigerlily11]

I live in Milton Keynes which is roughly slap bang in the middle of the UK and I see seagulls all the time. Its where ever there is a free feed you will find gulls.

[B00]

It does sound like a Heron, they are ginormous. Love seeing them at the side of rivers- they're really lovely.

[kags]

yes, I've looked at some Heron pictures and I'm pretty certain that's what it was. It was very impressive!
Thanks everyone.

[lankeela]

Not if you've got a fish pond - they will nick your goldfish!