gulls (1 Viewer)

[lou salomon]

hi tsingy,

that's an adult yellow-legged gull allright.

 

[Samuel Perfect]

juv. LBBGull or YLGull? Unnotched tertials, less obvious pale window (compared to HG) and sparse barring on the UTCs all seem to fit both species

 

[Jane Turner]

I'd have called it LBBG-so lets see how wrong I'd be

 

[Samuel Perfect]

A very overexposed Herring Gull with a P5 band? Also taken in Calais, like my previous query

 

[lou salomon]

I'd have called it LBBG-so lets see how wrong I'd be

you're not wrong, jane. it's a LBBG - tail band a bit too broad, inner webs to primaries too dark and scaps all juvenile - most michs have replaced some scaps by now.
p5 band can be a sign of younger age, possibly 5cy, in herring gull.

 

[Samuel Perfect]

Thanks Jane and Lou for the helpful comments, much appreciated :t:

 

[lou salomon]

for those who haven't noticed yet: many photos of (tatty) 2cy summer caspian gulls from azerbaijan on chris gibbins' blog in june and july:

http://chrisgibbins-gullsbirds.blogspot.de/2013/07/a-sample-of-2cy-first-summer-caspian.html

http://chrisgibbins-gullsbirds.blogspot.de/2013/06/pattern-on-second-generation-inner.html

 

[Cristian Mihai]

August 27th 2013, Vadu (CT), Romania.

 

[ody]

Larus

Yesterday in Kalochori Lagoon,Thessaloniki,North Greece.
What is this ?

 

[Cristian Mihai]

Looks like a 1cy Med Gull.

 

[ody]

Looks like a 1cy Med Gull.

Thank you Cristian!

 

[Cristian Mihai]

August 24-28th 2013, Vadu (CT), Romania - second part.

 

[Cristian Mihai]

August 24-28th 2013, Vadu (CT), Romania - third part.
The same bird in pics 1 and 4.

 

[Jane Turner]

Apologies for the photos... is this a hybrid? The real YL Gulls are all in primary moult.

 

[Cristian Mihai]

I have to say it: Lou, your vacation is too long 8-P

 

[Jane Turner]

and while I am at it...

What is this one

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0gsyCPLYSO4/Ui4C7ajkMzI/AAAAAAAAAKM/ODbtfFhRBg8/s1600/casp+2.JPG

I've logged it as a 4th Cal YLG, but some people are calling it Casp

Its the same mantle colour as an obvious adult YLG it associates with

 

[snowcap]

Hi Jane, I agree that your bird in post 2714 is likely to be a hybrid.I think structurally it`s wrong for a YLG...short legs, rather small bill, small rounded head etc.I realise that small female YLGs might have the same features but that`s my take on it anyway.I was at Richmond Bank yday and saw a few "real" YLGs and a couple of presumed hybrids, the latter always looking short-legged which is the LBB influence maybe?This latest one in #2716 I dont think is a Casp.The head shape is sloping etc but that is probably caused by the bird facing into the wind.The iris is pale, which of course some Casps can have, but not many over here.The red gonys spot extends onto the upper mandible which is more of a YLG feature, even in 4th year birds.Most adult YLG in Autumn when moulting show some head or nape spotting before its moulted out to give them the white headed look that makes them stand out from the crowd in early winter, so the nape spotting on this bird isn`t unusual.

 

[tittletattler]

.I realise that small female YLGs might have the same features but that`s my take on it anyway.

Hi Pete,

I like your synopsis although for the reason you've given above, I'd say it is a YLG. I certainly get a lot of YLGs that look like this bird but I reckon away from the core sites, birders would be happier with an individual that looks perfect. Tone looks better for YLG too IMO.

Here's two female types from 2007. Note the sub-adult behind them.

http://www.kentos.org.uk/North West Kent/images/adyellowleggedgulls9-12-7.jpg

The other bird is more difficult and YLGs at this age are sometimes harder to separate from Caspian. As a rule of thumb, I call them YLG.

Cheers,

Andy.

 

[lou salomon]

and while I am at it...

What is this one

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0gsyCPLYSO4/Ui4C7ajkMzI/AAAAAAAAAKM/ODbtfFhRBg8/s1600/casp+2.JPG

I've logged it as a 4th Cal YLG, but some people are calling it Casp

Its the same mantle colour as an obvious adult YLG it associates with

hi jane,

that one (post 2716) looks like a YLG to me but an open wing (best with visible underside of p10) would clinch it. caspians rarely have such yellow legs at this time of year, the upper mandible curve at tip is very strong (and in favour of micha), there's a smudge around eye and head looks large. so, most probably you are right with YLG. dark bill marks possible in adults also.

as for your presumed hybrid in post 2714: i think it is very hard to tell, since it could well be a shortish legged female mich. if i'm interpreting the white dots correctly it has renewed only p5 and p6, then there's a moulting gap with p7 and p8 missing while p9 could be the outer feather with a small rounded mirror. this scheme would be fairly late for YLG (but northern breeding michs on average moult later than southern ones). however, belly line, short legs and rounded head don't ring michahellis bells and thus it should be left unidentified as it could well be a female argie x LBBG hybrid. no wide tertial crescent as in many hybrids though. B

 

[snowcap]

Hi Andy, good to hear from you. Yes, these small, short-legged YLG types are occurring more frequently up here.They are simply ID`d by some as YLGs but other observers are adamant that they are hybrids.As we all know, structural variation amongst large Gulls occurs widely, so small , presumed female, YLGs must and do occur and maybe it`s too easy just to assign these birds as hybrids.The Iberian west coast YLGs do seem to be somewhat smaller than the Mediterranean ones, the so called "lusitanicus" birds. Maybe here on the west coast we get more of their influence?
Apologies if you guys have seen this pic on here before, but here is a curious looking YLG type; View attachment 462961