Possible hybrid CG x YLG from Poland

[WolfgangSchweighofer]

Hi,
some years ago, in 2007, I had observed a large gull with green Polish ring 063P. This small bird (female) appeared first time on 24-2-2007 as a first winter bird at Wörth. It was a bird from Jankowice colony in southern Poland and so I was sure that it had to be a Caspian Gull, although I knew from Jacek Betleja that there a few single YLG in the colony.
Following autumn it returned on 3-11-2007, it was seriously injured on the c-ringed leg. In both cases I was able to take more or less poor digiscopings, but I think it is possible to judge the bird.

Some weeks ago I checked POLRING and found the report that 063P was found freshly dead in eastern Germany in November 2008. In it´s life list are some more recoveries in Germany. All the experienced observers judged it as a YLG.

Personally I don´t think that this is a pure YLG. I see several features of CG in this bird, like slim bill with pale base in first winter, general jizz (proportions), pale scapulars with shaft streaks. YLG feature is heavy streaked head even in 2nd winter.
I believe it is a hybrid CGxYLG.

[lou bertalan]

hi wolfgang,

though hard to prove 100% i'm absolutely on your fence with this feeling of at least some cachinnans blood in it. when seeing the 1st gen. greater coverts but even with the contrasting 2nd gen. plumage in november 2007 there is a lot of caspian plumage in it. the retarded look in november (many dark centered scaps) as 2nd cycle makes me even think if it is not a herring gull as one of the parents or as a grandparent. i'm not necessarily seeing a YLG here. proving the caspian y YLG combination would be very nice

lou