Southwold Caspian Gull? #4&5 (1 Viewer)

[JWN Andrewes]

Two almost adults. Eyes looked darker through bins, then revealed as pale on pics, but the bills look sort of washed out and fleshy. My least likely candidates, but I thought I'd ask the experts in the hopes of furthering my education!

 

[SteveClifton]

Both sub-adult Herring Gulls

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Right, where did I put that drawing board?!! 😂

Thanks Steve

 

[Butty]

My least likely candidates, but . . .

I write this in the hope that you may find it helpful...
I do wonder if it might be more productive/useful for you if you a) concentrated only on the individuals that you feel pretty sure (as sure as you can be!) are of the species you're asking about and b) for each bird give a list of your reasons for thinking/suspecting that ID.
That way, people can give you replies that specifically comment on the ID features that you're using. I can't help thinking that by posting (almost random??) photos of gulls and getting just a species name for them you are likely to learn very little (or nothing if you're anything like me!).

 

[Keith/Portland]

Meant with the very best of intentions:

I agree with Butty, however you can only ever be ‘pretty sure’ if you know the basics. This has been said time after time in birding, ‘it is absolutely essential that you learn to identify the common species first’, Herring Gulls in this case.

So, let’s reverse the question. Why do we call the birds on your photos Herrings Gulls?

Clue: it’s not because they don’t ‘look like’ Casps.

Best.

K

‘loads of gull stuff but certainly no expert’
flickr - gull albums

 

[lou salomon]

One of the more reliable points is the amount of immature greater coverts and tertials at this time of the year. Caspian in most cases has them grey in august, 3rd cycle.

 

[JWN Andrewes]

All good comments, and gratefully received. When I have time I'll have a session of going through all my pics a bit more carefully and continue my education! Thanks all.

 

[RichieTwitchy]

Before I got 'into' birding I used to think that there were just 'seagulls' - how blimmin wrong was I

 

[foresttwitcher]

Before I got 'into' birding I used to think that there were just 'seagulls' - how blimmin wrong was I

Or completely right....