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gulls (3 Viewers)

Hi Everyone,

What are you thinking about this gull. Photo taken from Trabzon, Turkey , 31.12.2017.

http://www.trakus.org/kods_bird/uye/?fsx=2fsdl47@d&idx=196249

hi tsingy,

this is an "impossible" gull, i mean, it doesn't match any taxon in pattern, bare parts coloration and head striation. i suspect a hybrid involving argnetatus, maybe a heuglini as other parent but then the very rectangular ending tongue on underside of p10 is odd for both sp.; if you take heuglini x cachinnans the strong head pattern and especially around neck sides is off for both. a very weird bird but there is an intergradation zone / melting pot in european russia, e.g. in the selitva-region producing such weird birds. i'll share it on westpalearctic gulls FB group, if you don't mind.
 
Time for my New Year jaunt down from the mountains to confuse myself looking at the gulls around Geneva. Usual murky conditions and my incompetent use of the camera produced the attached results today. Lots of 2nd years, all obvious michahellis except the white-headed, leggy individual that stands out even in these poor photos! Also, the underwing was very pale as it took off so I'm assuming it's a cachinnans?

hi richard, this still is a michahellis, even if it had paleish underwing. that stubby, high bill with a blunt tip is nothing belonging to a cachi, also horizontal stance, and the apparently large dark eye in a squarish head all point towartds michahellis. shows how variable they are, compared to the darkies nearby ;)
 
cachinnans or michahellis?

Seen in Annecy, France today, what do folks think? Thanks in advance.
 

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Same choice for this (3rd year?) one on the left in each photo. I was leaning towards Caspian until I looked at the flight shot which now makes me think it's a Yellow-legged - as shouldn't Caspian show a small mirror on P10 at this age? HELP!
 

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Same choice for this (3rd year?) one on the left in each photo. I was leaning towards Caspian until I looked at the flight shot which now makes me think it's a Yellow-legged - as shouldn't Caspian show a small mirror on P10 at this age? HELP!

not every 2nd cycle caspian gull shows a p10 mirror. but this is clearly a YLG (3cy), just gives a bit of a swan-neck appearance in the standing pic. note bright bare parts for only 2nd spring, much black in outer primaries and pale iris.
 
Which Gull?

My Friend took this Pic for Crete.
Is it something else as a YLG?
 

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