Another UK Gull (1 Viewer)

[vwxyzen]

I'm assuming this is the bird reported as Caspian Gull from Fairburn Ings (Yorkshire) today?
I'd be interested in opinions on it please.

Dave

 

[lou salomon]

does not look like a caspian to me, more like a 3cy michahellis.
2nd gen. p10 has no mirror, iris pretty pale, head shape angular. but an open wing would have helped to settle this. anyway i think it's one of the two and not a herring gull.

 

[Steve Lister]

Certainly not a Caspian.

Steve

 

[vwxyzen]

does not look like a caspian to me, more like a 3cy michahellis.
2nd gen. p10 has no mirror, iris pretty pale, head shape angular. but an open wing would have helped to settle this. anyway i think it's one of the two and not a herring gull.

Thanks Lou. It reminded me of the 3cy michahellis you commented on the other day. In the field the iris seemed dark on this bird in comparison to nearby michahellis but unfortunately I never saw it open it's wings. Mantle colour seemed very slightly paler than nearby michahellis

Dave

 

[lou salomon]

underwing shots needed to be sure. i suspect this is a YLG but if other people saw e.g. a longish rectangular p10 underwing tongue (best with photos) etc and of head, eyes etc. would have been typical caspian i had not hesitated to accept it is one without p10 mirror (which is not that rare). but too many things are off for a pure caspian from these pics.

 

[pietrod]

I agree, impossible a definitive determitation from these pics.
However also a pure michaehellis does not completly fit, right?
For example the old tertiaries have a lot of white...
And the bill shape is quite ambiguous, length rigth for the michahellis but not shape...

best

pietro

 

[Hotspur]

I believe I may have photos of this birds p10 from underneath. I will have a look

 

[Hotspur]

http://idiocybirding.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/the-gull.html?m=1

Sorry - having trouble resizing my photos for the forum.

 

[vwxyzen]

video here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjFyuyQ-tOw

Dave