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Caspian Gull - Leics, UK (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Grando
- Start date
lou salomon
the birdonist
can tell about the presumed YLG but the adult caspian looks good. as for the presumed 2cy, also hard to tell for sure from this pic alone, could also be a HG.
MTem
Well-known member
Well you asked ....
My thoughts as follows:
For mortals (like me) separating these large gulls is hard enough with a good open-wing/tail photo and/or a crisp side view standing in the open -(along with a place/date of course).
From these photos I think the best you'll get is probabilities. As Lou (who is above us mortals in this category for sure) has said there are a few things that increase the likelihood of the second photo in the second post being an adult caspian - head shape, dark eye, parallel bill with no significant gonys angle - but even then I'd guess there are Herring gulls out there with these characteristics and the British Birds article of March 2010 does not regard any of these as diagnostic in adults, merely indicative or extremely indicative.
As for the other two photos I can't see anything that would give anything other than possibilities - there are features that fit more than one option, or not visible. Just not enough to give a definitive ID I'd say and personally I subscribe to the view that any bird like this should be presumed as the dominant local species (in this case HG) until sufficient diagnostic features can be seen.
HNY
Mick
My thoughts as follows:
For mortals (like me) separating these large gulls is hard enough with a good open-wing/tail photo and/or a crisp side view standing in the open -(along with a place/date of course).
From these photos I think the best you'll get is probabilities. As Lou (who is above us mortals in this category for sure) has said there are a few things that increase the likelihood of the second photo in the second post being an adult caspian - head shape, dark eye, parallel bill with no significant gonys angle - but even then I'd guess there are Herring gulls out there with these characteristics and the British Birds article of March 2010 does not regard any of these as diagnostic in adults, merely indicative or extremely indicative.
As for the other two photos I can't see anything that would give anything other than possibilities - there are features that fit more than one option, or not visible. Just not enough to give a definitive ID I'd say and personally I subscribe to the view that any bird like this should be presumed as the dominant local species (in this case HG) until sufficient diagnostic features can be seen.
HNY
Mick
