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Well spotted jan, and good documentation. I don't think I've photographed a bird with such obvious tongue tips, the next examples are about what are upper limits in my set of images: https://www.flickr.com/photos/163623837@N06/43569500560/in/album-72157665838326527/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/163...

Hi Jan, A bird with such strikingly pale inner primaries would not make me think of cachinnans as a good candidate. Not at all a "Venetian blind" effect as one would wish to see. Though, I can see why ID went that way, as the white head is very obvious. However, many 2CY Herring Gull at my local pat...

Welcome!

This bird is a 2CY michahellis.

Hi Abdulla, I understand all images are from February 9th, 2020? Especially the 4th image attracts my attention, with a bird in active moult. As far as I know, mid-winter moult has not been described (yet?) for Steppe Gull, which is believed to follow a moult timing more in line with his steppe-belt...

You don't have to keep them all to yourself, Abdulla. Please send over a few, or for that matter, one would already be great.

And they say gull ID is difficult...

These birds from early February still in primary moult should point to some very northern taxon which has a long migration and therefor started moult after arrival at the winter quarters. They may be heuglini, although they seem to be rather pale grey?

Hi Abdulla, As the bird is already white-headed by the first week of February, I reckon it has its origins at the steppe, rather than from the arctic tundra populations. The relatively long, white tongue on the underside of P10 probably best match to barabensis or birds from the eastern cachinnans b...

I remember photographing his sister (would be 20CY this year, but an almost exact replica!):

http://www.israel.gull-research.org/fus ... cyc5xm.htm

Hi Jan, Hard to tell the exact generation and timing of replacement when feathers are in such bad condition. In Lesser Black-backeds the primaries are sometimes difficult to age, but in this bird the secondaries are obviously adult-like and the wear in secondaries is about the same as it is in the p...