gulls (1 Viewer)

[GullNovice]

L B B Gull ?

This gull appeared slightly than other LBBG's and there was much more contrast in the plumage.

Assume that it is a LBBG.

Thanks for any help.

 

[lou salomon]

yes, a 2cy LBBG - looks like a norwegian bird (intermedius) but you can't be sure about that due to huge variation, certainly a striking individual. note later moulted lower scpulars which appear more adult like. the plainness of these lower scaps even reminds of nominate fuscus (which this bird is not, imo). the fact that they were moulted late (maybe even now in spring, note freshness of the most rear ones!) underlines its probable northern origin. an underwing view would have been nice in such a baltic-lookalike. i see this is your first post, so, welcome to birdforum, gullnovice, and keep them coming!
i suppose you have already discovered this ultimate website about WP gulls: http://gull-research.org/ - incredibly much see and learn in there...

 

[Tib78]

just wanting to thank you for sharing these pics, tib.

Most welcome Lou.

Thanks the feedback.

 

[lou salomon]

I do spend some time on this thread hoping to improve my gulling skills. Today in Uk a few gulls were moving through and in came the one in the links. The bright streakless head stood out on the dark bird. My first thought was Caspian and rattled a few shot on my bridge camera. All present thought it was an odd looking gull. Im now thinking its a Lesser Black Backed Gull but the pure white head has thrown me:eek!:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/14018502371/in/photostream/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/14018478722/in/photostream/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/14018502371/in/photostream/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/14021708325/in/photostream/

hi bigshent,

yes, it's a 3cy lesser black-backed. the darker upperparts (3rd generation scapulars and mantle) and all brown wings readily separate it from the paler HG/YLG/caspian. GBBG at this age would have darker scaps, intermixed with some brown feathers and p10 usually has a diffuse mirror already. the all white head is just a general sign of "alternate" plumage achieved by spring moult of head and body feathers which will change again in late summer into the streaked headed "basic" plumage.

cheers

 

[Cristian Mihai]

Grindul Chituc, May 17th 2014

 

[lou salomon]

another caspian with strongly reduced p5 mark. note also the very long underwing tongues on p7 and 8! i think they are about 5% of all adult caspians (which is a lot!) in the western black sea region. :t:

 

[Cristian Mihai]

Yep, a rather unusual wing tip. On may 17th I took some pictures with michahellis and cachinnans (most of them with birds in flight). I will upload some of them in next few days.

 

[lou salomon]

Yep, a rather unusual wing tip. On may 17th I took some pictures with michahellis and cachinnans (most of them with birds in flight). I will upload some of them in next few days.

:t: B :t:

 

[Cristian Mihai]

Same time, same place...

 

[lou salomon]

wow, why didn't you put it on rombird-database? wanted it have confirmed, isn't it? quite a late date for tridactyla in romania, too. and of course nice pics :t:

 

[Cristian Mihai]

Age 2cy?

 

[lou salomon]

yupp of course.

 

[Cristian Mihai]

Grindul Chituc, May 17th

 

[lou salomon]

1st one is a bit of a double-taker: pale iris and micha-bill but smallish rounded head and nice collar and plain (worn) coverts; plain grey 3rd gen. scaps but a micha-tail: surely a YLG.
2nd pic is an excellent comparison :t: B
it is so good and shows so many differences that it should go in a better resolution - but i know the beasts are far on the strand of chituc.

 

[Cristian Mihai]

I will upload a higher resolution version for the second pic.

 

[Cristian Mihai]

Tunari (IF), close to Bucharest, May 28th 2014

 

[lou salomon]

those legs appear pinkish, not bright yellow (but it's late in the evening...). any more pics of this bird, cristian? in spite of the very cachoid primary pattern (apart from diagonal end of p10 tongue) this somehow looks like an extreme female type michahellis to me.

 

[Cristian Mihai]

Unfortunately this is the only picture...

 

[Cristian Mihai]

The iris looks pretty dark...

 

[lou salomon]

i'd ask in the gull-reseatch forum, cris. although one rarely gets a response there...and also on the FB site of european gulls. some romanian michas definitely can have such a extreme primary pattern. remember chris gibbins' pics from constanta? iris is not too dark for a micha. but the same time could well sit on a cachi...