I don't see the problem Lou, for me p9 look rather small/normal. The dull yellow leg color and bill color with some black on the cutting edges fits a 4/5cy type better! Note this p10 underside patterns:hi cristian,
do you have another pic of this adult (or 4cy) bird: http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=299709&d=1292951633 ??
it seems to have just a thin and broken subterminal to p10 and a large p9 mirror, all acceptable for an extreme mich but bill shape/colour and p10 being longer than p9 get me alerted. any position in which we can see a hint of the underside of wingtip?
caspian for me again. there are so many caspians with short legs. full p5 band is also good. of course nobody knows if it's not a hybrid (since some can look perfect like one of the parents, esp. caspians) but with decent tongues i'd go for cach. short bill absolutely no problem. http://www.elisanet.fi/hj.koskinen/Adcac_Ukrainerings_Preila20080909.html most of these are shortish billed.
Thank you for comments, Lou. I would say you're right about the P8...
Here are two pics taken in Bucharest, on January 1st.
View attachment 301500
View attachment 301502Hi Folks, Happy New Year to everyone. First days Gulling of the year today produced a couple of interesting birds.The first bird obviously has Herring Gull type greater coverts and a predominantly pale bill.But it was giving the classic Casp-like "Albatross call and posture" at one stage and had very long legs and a hanging rear belly.Also is it a 3cy( just), but as it had a dark iris( I looked closely at this), so a 2cy?
The bird on the ice was at first thought to be an Argentatus Herring Gull, but could it be a dull legged YLG or hybrid? It had a thin band on P5,
cheers, Pete.
hi cristian,
two nice 3cy (second cycle):
1. looks like a cach with that large p10 tongue, pinkish base to bill and dark eye but bill shape is odd - quite high, short and blunt tipped from this angle.
2. classic 2nd (cycle) basic -> alternate mich, considering early developement of yellow on bill, which is an "alternate" = breeding time feature. herastrau or dambovita? just for the file name as i load them down for the collection as usual