Gull ID Turkey (1 Viewer)

[max_andthewild]

Hello everyone,

I am seeking some ID help for two gulls that I encountered in Turkey.

First gull
Date: 16 May 24
Location: Mediterranean coast, Fethiye, Turkey
My first impression was a black-legged kittiwake, but the extent of black on the wing tips doesn't match & it is rare/not likely in the region. Would it be an Audouin's gull?



Second gull
Date: 10 May 24
Location: Bosphorous channel, Istanbul, Turkey
Yellow-legged gull?



Thank you!

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Max,

welcome to Birdfoum!

yes the first one looks like a 3cy Audouin's Gull for me too. I think I can just make out an at least mainly red bill (not black or yellowish).
Real black wedge to outer primaries without any white mirror in an otherwise adult looking bird with an all white tailis not good for a larger Gull and I would expect to see the two toned grey wing of a Kittiwake here.
Again more confident than it is intended to be.

Your other bird seems a 3cy Gull to me. And now knowing of the newer dark eyed Gulls (thanks Lou again!) and the helpful posts from Thibaut, thanks!, I better wait, despite real white, nearly unmarked underwing (some 3cy YLG still have scattered (randomly would be too much) blackish markings there) might sugest Caspian Gull, and such a white underwing is within variation for YLG. But nö worries Max, BF has the real experts you will soon find out. Thanks from me too!

And welcome to Birdforum again!
And bill shape looks better for a YLG to me.
Again more confident than it is intended to be.

 

[max_andthewild]

Hello Max,

welcome to Birdfoum!

yes the first one looks like a 3cy Audouin's Gull for me too. I think I can just make out an at least mainly red bill (not black or yellowish).
Real black wedge to outer primaries without any white mirror in an otherwise adult looking bird with an all white tailis not good for a larger Gull and I would expect to see the two toned grey wing of a Kittiwake here.
Again more confident than it is intended to be.

Your other bird seems a 3cy Gull to me. And now knowing of the newer dark eyed Gulls (thanks Lou again!) and the helpful posts from Thibaut, thanks!, I better wait, despite real white, nearly unmarked underwing (some 3cy YLG still have scattered (randomly would be too much) blackish markings there) might sugest Caspian Gull, and such a white underwing is within variation for YLG. But nö worries Max, BF has the real experts you will soon find out. Thanks from me too!

And welcome to Birdforum again!
And bill shape looks better for a YLG to me.
Again more confident than it is intended to be.

Hi Alexander,

Thank you very much for the warm welcome and the ID. Appreciate it

Regards,
Max

 

[lou salomon]

The second is interesting. It looks like a retardated 3rd cycle, i.e. 4cy to me, at least on the phone. Dark eye, stubby bill shape...but I think the substantial pale tongue nearly exludes a 3c Armenian Gull. Will have a second look at home.

 

[Tib78]

The second bird is tough to age indeed. It would have been interesting if it had a ring providing info on its true age.
Some adult-like secondaries and the little amount of black to tail invite to consider a 3rd cycle but the rest is pro-2nd cycle.
Either way I don’t think Armenian is really an option for this bird.

 

[lou salomon]

I've had a second look and it still strikes me as a very retarded 3rd cycle YLG, including iris colour.

 

[max_andthewild]

Thank you all!

I've had a second look and it still strikes me as a very retarded 3rd cycle YLG, including iris colour.