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gulls (11 Viewers)
- Thread starter lou salomon
- Start date
Clive A
Well-known member
Hard to judge on the angle of the second photo, but I don't see a problem.
lou salomon
the birdonist
indeed there's a lot of variation. this one doesn't look as being typical for YLG (which is: high, rel. short, strong gonydeal angle and, most important: blunt tipped, i.e. upper mandible curve at tip is strong), but ind. some have longer bills with less accentuated gonys. the bill in your YLG could sit on an average herring gull, too. a bit untypical is the apaprent pale yellow coloration (if that's not due to fog/photo).
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lou salomon
the birdonist
http://www.lou.bertalan.de/gulls/m_phi.php?bid=1494&grp=michahellis 2cy january-june
and http://www.lou.bertalan.de/gulls/m_phi.php?bid=1493&grp=michahellis 2cy january-june
a bird photographed today by cristian (thanks for sharing it..) in bucharest. note the conspicous window which is stronger than in the average YLG. eastern michs tend to show paller inner primaries (but only a minority, most look like their western counterparts).
and http://www.lou.bertalan.de/gulls/m_phi.php?bid=1493&grp=michahellis 2cy january-june
a bird photographed today by cristian (thanks for sharing it..) in bucharest. note the conspicous window which is stronger than in the average YLG. eastern michs tend to show paller inner primaries (but only a minority, most look like their western counterparts).
http://www.trakus.org/kods_bird/uye/?fsx=2fsdl15@d&idx=110606#.UuD4lBBajIU
I want to geth your opinion about this gull, thanks lot.
I want to geth your opinion about this gull, thanks lot.
lou salomon
the birdonist
looks ok for cachinnans but it is in 1st summer (early summer) - this is the most difficult plumage since coverts are very worn and only 2nd gen. scapulars can be assessed. they look like typical cachinnans ones.
these birds from today are very classical cachinnans, a 1st winter (2cy) and a 2nd winter (3cy) bird: http://www.trakus.org/kods_bird/uye/?fsx=2fsdl47@d&idx=110921#.UuExh7S1LAU
these birds from today are very classical cachinnans, a 1st winter (2cy) and a 2nd winter (3cy) bird: http://www.trakus.org/kods_bird/uye/?fsx=2fsdl47@d&idx=110921#.UuExh7S1LAU
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lou salomon
the birdonist
both herring gulls! congratulations, tsingy - are there any confirmed records of herring gull in turkey from recent? the thayeri pattern in the 2nd bird strongly suggests a nortehrn origin (probably white sea). great!
edit: there seems to be a recent cold retreat of northern argentatus into black sea. herring gulls are being reported now from bulgaria and romania coasts too.
edit: there seems to be a recent cold retreat of northern argentatus into black sea. herring gulls are being reported now from bulgaria and romania coasts too.
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lou salomon
the birdonist
congratulations! they seem to be not that rare in harsh winters in black sea but until now nobody really looked for them. so it's good to know that some overwinter on southern coast too.
lou salomon
the birdonist
hi tsingy,
all are 2cy (1st cycle birds)
1. is hard to tell, possibly a cachoid (cachinnans-like) looking michahellis but it might be a strange caspian gull allright, with bold transversal marks in scaps and coverts. wings are long. bill is not perfect for cachi but acceptable. body structure in favour of cachinnans.
2. michahellis (with most coverts replaced to 2nd generation)
3. cachinnans
all are 2cy (1st cycle birds)
1. is hard to tell, possibly a cachoid (cachinnans-like) looking michahellis but it might be a strange caspian gull allright, with bold transversal marks in scaps and coverts. wings are long. bill is not perfect for cachi but acceptable. body structure in favour of cachinnans.
2. michahellis (with most coverts replaced to 2nd generation)
3. cachinnans
lou salomon
the birdonist
i think this is another herring gull, avery white headed 2nd winter bird.
would be an extremely retarded michahellis (bill is better for micha) and oddly coloured as well. tail is better for argentatus also.
would be an extremely retarded michahellis (bill is better for micha) and oddly coloured as well. tail is better for argentatus also.
Cristian Mihai
Cristian Mihai
Looks like a Caspian Gull.
lou salomon
the birdonist
and to me.
Samuel Perfect
Well-known member
lou salomon
the birdonist
were the legs pinkish? in that case, yes, herring gull, not necessarily a 5cy, some argenteus can have a solid p5 band. variation is larger than one might think. but to exclude YLG you'd need to have a good view on primary pattern, orbital colour, leg colour, mantle colour.
Samuel Perfect
Well-known member
At the time I didn't consider YLG as an option as the mantle colour was the same in tone as the other HGs. The eye ring in the same bird (different pic) looks bright but not as reddish as would be expected so I'm still sure this is a HG.
My main concern was regarding the P5 band, is this more of a sub-adult feature or is it equally likely in full adults?
My main concern was regarding the P5 band, is this more of a sub-adult feature or is it equally likely in full adults?
