late 1st.w Heuglin's Gull??in SW Sicily

[Lucius]

need your opinion

heuglin's was the only i could figure out
cause of moult...

found on7th March


thanks a lot

Lucius

[Theo Muusse]

Given the strong wear on this bird, I wonder why its not a more southern type of cachinnans/ michahellis....

Theo

[Cristian Mihai]

Yep, I'm not able to rule out a Yellow-legged Gull...

[Lucius]

never seen before
a YLG 1st.w with completely juv worn unmoulted wing in march
and so plain unmarked grey(AD:TYPE) second generation scapulars

anyway a really strange bird !!!

thanks

Lucius

[lou bertalan]

never seen before
a YLG 1st.w with completely juv worn unmoulted wing in march
and so plain unmarked grey(AD:TYPE) second generation scapulars

anyway a really strange bird !!!

thanks

Lucius

both is possible, lucius. this is a bird with adult like scaps: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=131&start=10#p462
and 1st winter YLG without replaced coverts and tertials are not at all rare, like this:

2 2010.02.20 herastrau cm P2209076mm.jpg (121.76KiB)Viewed 10670 times

head and body shape in your bird definitely says michahellis (and that nice smudge around eye..). such scaps are a confusing matter in separating them from caspians.

all the best,

lou