Black Sea coast gull parade

[vuelvepiedras]

Hi gullers,

please take a look at this set of photos. I'm bogged down with these bunch of gulls, found at Varna city beach, Bulgarian Black Sea coast, last January 2011.

It's important to note that I was at the same place the year before, and the gulls present were totally diferent (pure Caspian looking birds, mixed with obvious YLG). But, this time, a puzzle was standing in front of me. Many odd gulls to my western eyes, probably matching a very Eastern cachinnans or barabensis. As only a few web pages deal with first winter barabensis type gulls, I'm pretty amazed of this set of features, for me quite different to typical michahellis or cachinnans.

Hope you can shed some light to this issue...

Cheers
Gabi (Madrid)

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[JanJ]

Hello Gabi.

To the best of my knowledge I think all the 2cy are type michahellis. Some of them might suggest otherwise, but given the variation and considering the plumage pattern and bill dimensions why not michahellis.

Best

JanJ

[vuelvepiedras]

Hi Jan,

Actually, that was my first and obvious thought. But, after checking out the whole photos, my conclusion is that the most birds show atypical features for average michahellis.

Assuming the extreme variation within michahellis taxon, I would never state that birds are michahellis in a western Mediterranean context. I write down next some features IMO quite odd for micha:

- More than 60% of 2cy showed pale inner primaries, with a very similar pattern to those Venetian blind wings typical of Caspian Gull.

- 2nd generation scapular pattern rarely fits the typical single/double anchor pattern that I use to see in micha. Mostly common, these birds’ scapulars were plain grey feathers, with rounder subterminal half moons, or, on the other hand, very dark-centered feathers.

- Underwing feathers were darkish, but with creamy tones, rarely close to that darker underwing of typical michas.

- Greater coverts were mostly plain, darkish to 3/4 of feather, and pale apical zones. Eastern taxon feature, IMO. Not michahellis.

- Bills were very strait on average, with variable extension. Some of them very short and compact, other very similar to Caspian.

- Structure confusing and variable, pretty bird very close to Caspian elegance and heaviness, other with compact and round shape, short legs and light structure. Puzzling, indeed.

As Varna urban YLG colony is quite big, is interesting to assess which features are shared by Eastern YLG and which are pointing mostly to more Eastern cachinnans birds (ranging from Black Sea Caspians and barabensis type, or even putative heuglini?).

I'm still thinking some of these birds are cachinanns/barabesis type birds, but...

Thanks for your opinion, very useful to solve this puzzle.
Cheers
Gabi

[vuelvepiedras]

A new set of pics.

Cheers!
Gabi

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