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Bucharest. Gulls (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter testoduro
- Start date
Alexander Stöhr
Well-known member
Hello,
can you please add the date? Thanks!
At first, your first bird seems to show the right bulbous bill shape of a YLG. But the really white head and the finely marked greater coverts makes me hesitate: is my ageing correct? I think its an 2 cy bird if taken recently... but better wait for Lou and others. Thanks!
The second bird looks good for an adult Caspian Gull by pale yellow bill with a greyish-greenish tinge, a very weak reddish spot there and a good shape (pencil-like). I get the feeling, that this bird has some damage on the eye or even lost it (?). Gulls can survive with just one (functional) eye.
More, there seems to be much white in the wing-tip, supporting ID against YLG.
Your third Gull might well be an adult Caspian Gull, but blurry picture quality might well shift impression towards this (no offence you know). Do you have more pictures?
For example: eye seems small and dark, overlayn by some chromatic aberration. But many (?) YLG have similar impression of darkish eyes in such pictures, they are often not starringly bright pale as in many Herring Gulls.
Or: red spot on the bill would be on the bright side for a Caspian Gull .. but is it enhanced by picture/jpeg mush?
Is the mantle really that pale, as it appears to be=thus better for Caspian Gull
Once more: better wait for Lou and others. Thanks!
can you please add the date? Thanks!
At first, your first bird seems to show the right bulbous bill shape of a YLG. But the really white head and the finely marked greater coverts makes me hesitate: is my ageing correct? I think its an 2 cy bird if taken recently... but better wait for Lou and others. Thanks!
The second bird looks good for an adult Caspian Gull by pale yellow bill with a greyish-greenish tinge, a very weak reddish spot there and a good shape (pencil-like). I get the feeling, that this bird has some damage on the eye or even lost it (?). Gulls can survive with just one (functional) eye.
More, there seems to be much white in the wing-tip, supporting ID against YLG.
Your third Gull might well be an adult Caspian Gull, but blurry picture quality might well shift impression towards this (no offence you know). Do you have more pictures?
For example: eye seems small and dark, overlayn by some chromatic aberration. But many (?) YLG have similar impression of darkish eyes in such pictures, they are often not starringly bright pale as in many Herring Gulls.
Or: red spot on the bill would be on the bright side for a Caspian Gull .. but is it enhanced by picture/jpeg mush?
Is the mantle really that pale, as it appears to be=thus better for Caspian Gull
Once more: better wait for Lou and others. Thanks!
Alexander Stöhr
Well-known member
Hello again,
no need to apaologize. Date is there!
for the first bird: as said, a clean white head ( I cant detect any mask or streaking) is not so good (? yes, variation) for a 2cy YLG at that time. Therefore: it might be an older bird or a Caspian Gull?
I just realized, that this bird is above my pagrade.
no need to apaologize. Date is there!
for the first bird: as said, a clean white head ( I cant detect any mask or streaking) is not so good (? yes, variation) for a 2cy YLG at that time. Therefore: it might be an older bird or a Caspian Gull?
I just realized, that this bird is above my pagrade.
lou salomon
the birdonist
it is like you both suspected/IDed them: YLG (2cy) - some have little striation which probably is just not visible due to quality of the pic, 2 and look to be Caspian Gulls. Second one with a damaged eye and quite short legs for a cachinnans but note visible end of white ventral p10 tongue which together with the bill gives weight to the ID as Caspian G.; last one has the small oval shaped eye, weak gonys angle and much white in wingtip. Careful though: some romanian michahellis have extremely much white in wingtip too!
