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gulls (3 Viewers)

Kumlien's Gull at Blackborough End Tip 25-4

Finally caught up with this gull which had been seen 3 times before over a 5 week period. Would like to know what other birders think of it.
 

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Hi Ashley..

From your images I don´t see one of the smallish arctic gulls glaucoides or kumlieni.
Structurally one of the larger gulls, such as Herring would be a better choice.
Probably it could be narrowed down to either a pale Herring or perhaps mor likely a Glaucous Gull x Herring Gull due to bill pattern among other features.

JanJ
 
Also saw this dark mantled gull at Blackborough Tip, would appeciate thoughts on it
 

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i think it is a yellow-legged gull.
leggs look yellowish, which would be unusual for a 3cy herring gull of the yellow-legged variant. they are longer than those of the accompagnying gulls as well. median coverts are adult like grey, typical in spring 3cy michahellis, would be advanced (but possible) in HG.
bill looks strong and is deep yellow at base, usually not as advanced in HG. this together with the darker mantle make the id as YLG most probable.
 
romanian gulls on new website

http://lou.bertalan.de/birds/

it's not yet ready (it lacks blog function, introduction and author's credits) but i thought i'd give anyone who's interested in caspian and yellow-legged gulls a chance to have a look and also post comments already to the specific pics. there might be mistakes in it, since there are many pics and many texts. basically this website deals with all plumages of michahellis and cachinnans, pics taken exclusively in romania.
that's where i'm off now for 10 days - hopefully with a bunch of new pics. have fun, the lot..;)
 
Hi Gentoo.

Why not thayeri? Bill shape and size + pattern - primaries darker than tertials and tail, distinctly two toned outer primaries, darker and more contrast against inners in Herring. Primaries with obvious pale tips and edgings looks betterfor thayeri. Uniform greater coverts without darker base as in many Herring's.

JanJ
 
Hi Gentoo.

Why not thayeri? Bill shape and size + pattern - primaries darker than tertials and tail, distinctly two toned outer primaries, darker and more contrast against inners in Herring. Primaries with obvious pale tips and edgings looks betterfor thayeri. Uniform greater coverts without darker base as in many Herring's.

JanJ
That was my other guess. Thayer's are so variable here that I seem to know them in photos better than real life. Thayer's it is.

Thanks Jan
 
back from the species border

...which is located between constanta (black sea coast) and sinoe-lagoon in the southern part of the danube delta biosphere reserve. about 20 km in between, no more. it's the virtual michahellis - cachinnans - border. of course, some micha breed up to crimea and who knows else and many cachs breed well inland but at the black sea coast, this is the "line".

pics of some michahellis (first)
 

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Lou I agree, those are awesome shots! I really like the background in the first one too and it's nice and sharp.

I'd kill to see a Yellow-Legged Gull (not literally but you know what I mean lol)
 
Today in Axios Delta.
I think it is a Larus Michachelis.
What about the age?
 

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