Winter - 47 (Larus cachinnans)

A beauty of a detailed shot and pose Alok, many tfs and well done on a lifer for you.

Great capture of a lovely beautiful sea gull , many TFS Aloktewari

mo

Can't keep up with all the taxonomic changes.Thus very much appreciated to post this "new species",Alok.Thank you indeed.

Top shot Alok thanks.

Beautiful Gull capture Alok...Personally I'm against splitting species etc, but congrats on your newbie mate.

Has more the look of a Heuglin's gull than a YLG to me. Looks long-winged and 'kind' faced. Also India would be way out of range, I think
Could I suggest the ID forum if it's a lifer!
Mick

... thank you MTem ... I'll put it in the ID-Forum ... they can also have a look at the video clip, I've linked ... any which way, this ID was given by a local birder, guide and friend, who runs an NGO at Jamnagar, and is thorough with the species seen at Jamnagar ...
YLG is listed as a species seen in India, during Winters.
Regards.

Nice one Alok. Tfs
Ken

Here's the ID and explanation given by Lou Salomon at ID-Forum :

'...this looks like an adult steppe gull, the default wintering large gull in NW india, difficult to separate from the darker heuglini, which also winters in the area. steppe gull once was considered a subsp. of caspian gull, nowadays is a subspecies of lesser black-backed gull since it is very closely realted to heuglini. the name yellow-legged gull stems from a time when caspian gull was still considered conspecific with yellow-legged gull...'
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lou

Hope it clarifies more than it confuses ...
Old name : Yellow-legged Gull ... Ssp. of Caspian Gull
New Name : Steppe Gull ... Ex Ssp. of Caspian Gull ... now Ssp. of Lesser Black-backed Gull
Still it is difficult to Separate from Heuglin's Gull in field.

I'll stop here ... as I'm nearly breathless ... LOL ...

... the best part is that it still remains a Lifer ...