Med Gull, Black sea (Bulgaria) (1 Viewer)

Tib78

Well-known member

• Dec 9, 2009

• #1

An interesting bird from the Black sea. I brought it from a French forum.
I think that our dedicated BF "gullers" will quickly see what the problem is...the primaries and secondaries indicates a 1st winter (1cy) but the head is similar to breeding adult, any explanation?
Picture take recently. No picture showing the upperparts so far.

Thanks in advance

 

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SJC

Well-known member

• Dec 9, 2009

• #2

Photoshop is as good an explanation as I can think of

 

lou salomon

the birdonist

• Dec 9, 2009

• #3

hi thibault,

certainly an unusual sight. it is a 2cy in spring/early summer having developed an adult type hood. this occures in a small minority according to "gulls" by k.m.olsen. usually first summer med gulls look like this: http://www.pbase.com/stephaubry/image/77826329

cheers

 

Southern Frogmouth

Well-known member

• Dec 9, 2009

• #4

At Wilstone Reservoir, Tring, Herts, UK, We have recently seen a second winter Med Gull which has 1st-winter outer primaries and primary-coverts, but the secondaries had moulted and were typical 2nd-winter as was the rest of the bird's plumage.

 

Tib78

Well-known member

• Dec 9, 2009

• #5

lou salomon said:

hi thibault,

certainly an unusual sight. it is a 2cy in spring/early summer having developed an adult type hood. this occures in a small minority according to "gulls" by k.m.olsen. usually first summer med gulls look like this: http://www.pbase.com/stephaubry/image/77826329

cheers

Click to expand...

Hi Lou,

Apparently,this pic wasn't taken in spring, but just a few days ago...
You will correct me if am wrong but it looks like none of the primaries and secondaries have been replaced, and they look pretty fresh. So it should be a 1st winter or?

 

p wolf

Sleep is the Enemy

• Dec 10, 2009

• #6

Tib78 said:

Hi Lou,

Apparently,this pic wasn't taken in spring, but just a few days ago...
You will correct me if am wrong but it looks like none of the primaries and secondaries have been replaced, and they look pretty fresh. So it should be a 1st winter or?

Click to expand...

If this picture was taken only a few days ago it would be a unique bird in a very unusual plumage for December. Firstly because this bird would then have juvenile primaries that are at least 18 months old without exessive wear and without any visible moult. The same goes for the lesser coverst, there is still a strong brownish hue to the part that is visible in the picture. A head and bill like this on a 2cy bird is uncommon but not unheard of in late May/June but it should be in moult from July/August at the latest. Combining those two unlikely characters in December seems very unlikely.

regards, pim wolf

 

Tib78

Well-known member

• Dec 10, 2009

• #7

Thanks Pim. So I guess there must be a problem with the date. I'll try fo find out.

 

Tib78

Well-known member

• Dec 10, 2009

• #8

The observer (a very serious guy) confirms the picture was taken on the 7th of december...so an extraordinary bird...but what age?

 

Pavel

Well-known member

• Dec 10, 2009

• #9

Hi,
I am happy to confirm that the MedGull picture was taken by myself on the 7th December 2009 at Durankulak Lake (11:43 PM), on the Northern Bulgarian Black Sea coast. For the skeptical people I am ready to send the original (Raw format) file.
Any additional comments on this interesting case would be very useful and welcomed.
Thanks for your comments.

Pavel Simeonov
www.branta-tours.com
www.lebalkan.org
www.birdinglodge.com

 

Last edited: Dec 10, 2009

P

Parker

Uncomfortably Numb.

• Dec 10, 2009

• #10

A very interesting bird. Surely with the plumage of the wings this is a 1st win bird & so can only be 6 to 8 months old not a 2cy bird, which is what i first thought like Lou a bird in the spring with 1st win flight feathers & adult like hood. A very odd bird for December. P.

 

p wolf

Sleep is the Enemy

• Dec 10, 2009

• #11

Parker said:

A very interesting bird. Surely with the plumage of the wings this is a 1st win bird & so can only be 6 to 8 months old not a 2cy bird, which is what i first thought like Lou a bird in the spring with 1st win flight feathers & adult like hood. A very odd bird for December. P.

Click to expand...

if it is a 1cy bird it seems to have moulted into a full adulttype head that looks more adult-like than 90% of all 2cy Med Gulls in May. Those must be some strong hormones he's on!

Pavel, do you have a pic of this bird showing the upperwing? It doesn't matter if it's blurry, shaken or out of focus.

regards, pim

 

Pavel

Well-known member

• Dec 10, 2009

• #12

Sorry, but I don't have. Some things happen once in a lifetime.
Greetings,
Pavel

 

p wolf

Sleep is the Enemy

• Dec 11, 2009

• #13

Pavel said:

Sorry, but I don't have. Some things happen once in a lifetime.
Greetings,
Pavel

Click to expand...

fair enough Pavel, I was just curious if this bird had moulted more/less coverts/tertials than average. A very surprizing bird, at least it has tought me to assume the improbable (again...).

best wishes, pim wolf

 

Pavel

Well-known member

• Dec 11, 2009

• #14

Indeed Pim, this is Nature!
Best regards,
Pavel