hi andy, certainly looks like a cach. a bleached covert field is pretty common in both 2cy caspian and YLGs in spring. there are some 2nd gen. coverts (mostly LC) in your bird.
http://lou.bertalan.de/gulls/m_phi.php?bid=373&grp=cachinnans 2cy january-june
http://lou.bertalan.de/gulls/m_phi.php?bid=819&grp=cachinnans 2cy january-june (this one is simlar to yours in the black looking replaced coverts inmidst a bleached juv covert field). moult score highly variable in 1-2cy cachs and MC don't necessarily need to be moulted.
pete, do you have any more pics with that bird, one showing a mirror? quite confusing. is that striation on its head? at this time of year in such an advanced plumage? bill reminds of a snub nosed male caspian. but wings are def. too short, striation is off - so might be a funny 5cy argentatus? that mantle is quite dark...
at least now we see that it has some black in tail which makes it a strong case for a 4cy. but with short wings (well, some male casps appear short wionged) and, i see no mirror! not sure if such a leggy strong billed bird should be alleaged with a LBBG hybrid. head still looks pretty caspiish to me!
Hi Cristian, I`ve just read the reply. Unfortunately I`ve already checked with the Lithuanian Gull ringers and they`ve said it`s not one of theirs.The mystery continues!
cheers, Pete.
Hi Andy, no, I`ve not had any replies to several e-mails about this bird.I`m not having much luck in responses at the moment, I`ve recently sent off details of a green ringed Caspian Gull (presumably a Polish bird, code "P843") and haven`t had a reply to that either! Nor anything on three ringed Sandwich Terns from over a month ago, I guess everyone is very busy at the moment!
cheers, Pete.
That's a shame. Might be worth your while trying Pete Rock. He replies to emails very quickly indeed! He may know exactly who you should be emailing.
Let us know how you get on.
Cheers,
Andy.
Cheers Andy, yes Pete Rock does a superb job with ringed large Gull info and he`s been really helpful on many occasions in finding the source of colour rings.I contacted him about the yellow ringed Herring Gull too and he replied as swiftly as ever but up to now it seems it cannot be traced,
all the best, Pete.
Or PAPB?Thanks for this Andy! It`s hard work finding a Casp up here, and to get a colour-ringed one is a real bonus( no colour ringed ones have been seen in Lancashire before and only one next door in Cheshire), so it would be great to get some gen back on it.There is a possibilty however with this bird that the code I read may not be accurate.It was a long way away and despite digiscoping it, the last digit may well not be a 3, but I`m sure the other digits are "P84." Someone has suggested to me however that it could be the Polish lettering which can be difficult to discern and that the code could actually be "PBAB".
Either way I`ve sent the info off to the address you`ve suggested , so fingers crossed!
cheers, Pete.