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Couple of Casps (1 Viewer)

Evan Atkinson

Always finding a way to go off topic...
United Kingdom
On the Thames a few weekends ago with a friend, we had 4 Caspian gulls and 3 Yellow legged gulls. Below are a couple of pics

2nd winter Caspian Gull (p10 mirrors very faint but starting to come through)
2nd winter casp.jpg

Different 2nd Winter Caspian Gull, very pronounced p10 mirrors and lovely pale underwing.
2nd winter casp2.jpg

Highlight of the day, this immaculate 2nd Winter Caspian Gull
proper 2nd winter casp.jpg

One of the brutish Yellow Legged Gulls seen, this one a quite dark 1st Winter
juv ylg.jpg

Evan
 
Hi Evan,
Lovely images! Just one slight correction, and I stress that this is only meant to clarify things. With the first 2nd cycle Caspian Gull, you mention that the P10 mirrors were 'starting to come through'. These are second generation primaries, the second set that the bird has had since moulting its original juvenile primaries back during the summer or early autumn last year. These actual feathers will never attain a clearer mirror than they have now. When the bird moults again later this year, it will grow in a set of third generation primaries, and these will look closer again to those of an adult bird. This is perhaps just me being pedantic, and I apologise if so.
Regards,
Harry
 

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