Gull (NE Italy) (1 Viewer)

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Hippolais

Luca Boscain

• Sep 9, 2011

• #1

Between hundreds of YL and Black-headed Gulls in Chioggia (Italy), two days ago, there was only one different bird: this one! I can't understand the age (transition from juvenile to 1st or 2nd winter?) and the legs are probably a bit too thick for a Caspian, but the "face" seems typical...
In the last pic, my bird is on the right: the left one is a Yellow-legged Gull

 

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P

Parker

Uncomfortably Numb.

• Sep 9, 2011

• #2

Yellow Legged Gull I think.

 

H

Hippolais

Luca Boscain

• Sep 10, 2011

• #3

no one other opinion??

 

Cristian Mihai

Cristian Mihai

• Sep 10, 2011

• #4

Yellow-legged Gull.

 

T

tittletattler

Well-known member

• Sep 10, 2011

• #5

Cristian Mihai said:

Yellow-legged Gull.

Click to expand...

Indeed. A 1st summer moulting into 2nd winter plumage.

Cheers, Andy.

 

lou salomon

the birdonist

• Sep 10, 2011

• #6

definitely 2cy michahellis with those contrasting coverts. some similarly looking 2cy caspians here under 11.8.2007: http://lou.bertalan.de/gulls/m_grp.php?g=cachinnans 2cy july-december

 

H

Hippolais

Luca Boscain

• Sep 13, 2011

• #7

Menotti Passarella, one of the best european gulls expert, said that this is certainly a Caspian Gull born in 2010!8-P

 

Cristian Mihai

Cristian Mihai

• Sep 13, 2011

• #8

Still a Yellow-legged for me.

 

mäkpe

Well-known member

• Sep 13, 2011

• #9

Hippolais said:

Menotti Passarella, one of the best european gulls expert, said that this is certainly a Caspian Gull born in 2010!8-P

Click to expand...

Everybody seems to agree that age is 2cy (born in 2010). Why do Mr. Passarella think this is rather Caspian than Yellow-legged?

 

S

smiths

Well-known member

• Sep 13, 2011

• #10

Indeed. The short and heavy bill fits Yellow-legged Gull much better than Caspian.
In the absence of flight shots, I think no single good feature is visible to turn this into a Caspian Gull.

 

Cristian Mihai

Cristian Mihai

• Sep 13, 2011

• #11

smiths said:

Indeed. The short and heavy bill fits Yellow-legged Gull much better than Caspian.
In the absence of flight shots, I think no single good feature is visible to turn this into a Caspian Gull.

Click to expand...

Agreed.

 

T

tittletattler

Well-known member

• Sep 14, 2011

• #12

Hippolais said:

Menotti Passarella, one of the best european gulls expert, said that this is certainly a Caspian Gull born in 2010!8-P

Click to expand...

That's a shame, as up to now, he no doubt identified every gull he has ever seen correctly.

Sorry Hippolais, but your expert has made a mistake with this one.

In your third photo, the bird in question has a broad, square head just like the other YLGs in the image. This is diagnostic. If you don't believe me, ask your expert to find a short necked, square and broad headed Caspian Gull photo from elsewhere in Europe.

Cheers,

Andy.

 

Last edited: Sep 14, 2011