Viking Gull or Thayer's Gull in Denmark?

[Kent Olsen]

Also discussed here: http://old.nabble.com/Thayer%27s-Gull-i ... #a33645920 with strong arguments from Peter Adriaens and Hans Larsson with series of informative links...

[Brandon Holden]

You can count me in as someone from North America (who sees Thayer's in small numbers every year) who finds there to be something wrong with the appearance of this bird... I won't try to break down any detailed plumage or structure analysis, but just add my personal opinion that is strikes me as something odd instead of a true Thayer's......


From my own photo collection, I have a Nelson's Gull that gave a strong impression of Thayer's when first seen in the field (but size and primary projection pointed to Nelson's):

https://picasaweb.google.com/1173295782 ... 6409049602
https://picasaweb.google.com/1173295782 ... 4174575538
https://picasaweb.google.com/1173295782 ... 6409049602


Here in Ontario, we are right on the border of Kumliens and Thayer's... I have a gallery of mixed Kumlien's & Thayer's here, if anyone is looking for more reference material:

https://picasaweb.google.com/1173295782 ... romONTARIO#


Brandon

[Hans Larsson]

Thank´s for the link´s Brandon! I see your point with the Nelson´s gull, although, like you say, it´s still pretty straightforward to ID. I would be very interested if you could break down the danish bird in a detailed analysis.

Best regards
Hans

[JanJ]

Now, the danish bird has been so carefully 'broken down' and scrutinised - more than any recent gull I can think of (and mainly by european birders), so one doubts that it´s even possible at the present to do the trick Nice to see Brandons thayeri candidates and the confirmed ones along with the other!
So Brandon, what´s up with the danish bird that you find odd?

Cheers

JanJ

[Kent Olsen]

Hello Brandon et al.

I have taken the liberty to use some of your great photos on my personal blog:

http://gulldk.blogspot.com/2012/04/dani ... tario.html

taken from here: https://picasaweb.google.com/1173295782 ... romONTARIO#

If people are against the Danish Thayer’s, please specify what is wrong so that we all continue to learn.

Cheers, Kent

[Kent Olsen]

As time has passed, I have continued to surf online photos of THGUs and would like to add that I still feel rather confident about it being a Thayer’s Gull.

Another thing that I would like to add is that some people might be fooled by its appearance because most photos are taken at rather close range. I quite often receive photos of hand-held large gulls sent from people involved in colour-marking in Denmark and I always get surprise hove brute and large their heads suddenly appear at close range where even the structure of the skull stands out.

If the Danish gull was photographed from further away the appearance would be totally different...

Are there any members who have anything new to add to the discussion?

Cheers, Kent