1cy + ad. Caspian Gull from Germany

[Steve Klasan]

Hi Gullers,
these two Caspian Gulls were photographed in NE-Saxony. Here in winter the cachinnans’s are the most common Gulls, with a percentage of at least 60-70%. Proportions of 90% are no exceptional cases.

Pictures taken on 22nd November 2009.


Greetings Steve

[Cristian Mihai]

Hi Steve,
Interesting adult bird. As you can see in my pics with Caspian Gulls, most Romanian birds don't have such a relative strong black mark near the white tip of the P10.

[lou bertalan]

hi steve,

nice pics, i have seen the 1cy on netfugl already and was impressed by its massive bill and strong gonys. to me there's no doubt it belongs to a nice male caspian in its youth.
second one with the stronger p10 subterminal: not the rule in ponticus but they exist. one could start to speculate about a more easterly origin with that large amount of black in wingtip.

lou

[Steve Klasan]

Hi Lou,
You are right, the bill is really huge and I’m of your opinion that the young bird must be a male.

More details of the adult’s wing:

[Ronald Klein]

Dear friends,
do never forget. The Polish colonies yearly drop many hybrids to Western Europe. The images by Steven, taken close to their roots, they are interesting, and I agree.