2cy Caspian Gull in Mandal harbour

This beauty was discovered by Thomas Bentsen in Mandal harbour 25.10.2011. At the very same spot as he found this 3cy Caspian Gull 19.03.2010! A striking and quite typical individual.

2cy Lesser Black-backed gull from Mandal 31.05.2011

2cy Lesser Black-backed Gull from Mandal 01.06.2011

Yellow-legged gull in Mandal

Well, it's about time something happened on this, the least updated blog in Europe...

Inge has done it again. Today, he searched for a 1cy caspian gull, which he found yesterday (but unfortunately didn't get photos of), when he discovered this fine 1cy yellow-legged gull. It is a small bird, so most probably it is a female.

It shares many of the features seen on "JOHN", the bird ringed almost a year ago at the same spot. I therefore refer to the blog-entry on JOHN for identification clues. This bird is not as advanced as JOHN (no immediately visible 2. gen feathers), but note the wear in the tertials, coverts and scapulars. This is an important feature that separates it from similar looking native lesser black backed gulls (and herrings). These have immaculate fresh plumages at this time up here.


All photos: Inge Flesjå







SEN

4cy Caspian gull in Fredrikstad

The strong southerlies and horrendous weather the last couple of days tempted me to go and check the gulls today - it's almost three weeks since I last checked them out. Most rare gull observations up here have coincided with similar weather conditions, and Øra outside Fredrikstad is usually the place to go. Øra was a disappointment, though, with most gulls on unobservable roofs or far out in the estuary. On my way back, I checked some flooded fields and was, to my big surprise, awarded with a 4cy caspian gull! Caspian gulls older than 2cy are terribly rare in Norway, so this was a treat!

Note that the "head streaking" is confined to the lower neck and is very weak - like thin, weak, aquarelle streaks - as opposed to the heavy blotching in most herring gulls. In caspian gulls, this is also an indication that the bird is a 4cy. Fully adults usually have completely white heads.
When confronted with a typical, long billed individual like this, I couldn't stop the mind from wandering to Monthy Pythons legendary "Life of Brian" and the the "Big-nose" scene...



Adult, or near adult caspian gulls (or herrings/yellow legged gulls) should always walk around with a hanging wing like this individual. The hanging wing exposes the crucial P5 - normally hidden under the tertials. Here it is very obvious that P5 has a complete black band on this feather. Most herring gulls have only a black mark on the outer web on this feather, but complete black banded individuals are not very rare...

In flight, note the complete black band on P5, the white slivers on the upper hand, the long light tongues eating into the black on the underside of the outer primaries and that P10 has a subterminal band separating the white tip from the mirror - indicating that the bird is a 4cy.
From below, the black in the hand of an adult or near adult caspian gull builds a boomerang. It has less black than a herring gull, but is distributed on (on average) more primaries.
See: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_lxPKusQvnFs/StZCtuJGh9I/AAAAAAAAAM4/5C7wg7qHhnc/s1600/vingesammenlign.jpg

Scania, Sweden - Yellow Legged Gulls

Four merry lads spent a few days in Falsterbo, Scania, Sweden to watch the famous migration of raptors. Unfortunately, strong easterly winds made the raptors wait inland for more clement conditions, so we spent a couple of afternoons checking ports and harbours of Scania for other specialities, namely caspian- and yellow legged - gulls. Both species are regular in Scania between july and november. Caspian gulls can be quite numerous following easterly winds, while yellow legged occur in much smaller numbers. Here's a collection of photos of the five 1cy yellow legged gulls we managed to find. An entry with caspians to follow.

1cy YLG near Smygehuk 10.9. Sleeping. Even from behind it shows neat, compact build. Difficult to identify on these pictures, but other crucial features seen in the field.
Resting on the water. Lower right bird...


YLG 1cy Abbekås 10.9. Appropriately positioned! (Gäst means guest in swedish). A small and neat individual, so most probably a female. Not safely identifiable from these pictures, but it showed both typical tailband and inner primaries of the species.
High ISO pictures in diminishing light.
Sleeping on the left. Note the adult caspian gull on the right.



1cy Brantevik 11.9. A relatively small individual with a weak bill and unusually white underwing.

A few new LC and a growing inner GC.This bird was discovered in flight from a distance and was then thought to be a caspian because of the unusually white underwings.

1cy Simrishamn 11.9. Loooong distance shots, solely for documentation.



1cy Skillinge 11.9. Classical individual. Note the new inner GC and a few new LC. Several coverts dropped.
Typical dark wing. Note apical spots on inner primaries.
Unusually heavily marked inner tail and uppertail coverts. So it wasn't that classical anyway...
Here with an adult caspian..