Ringed in Enghaveparken Copenhagen.

[JanJ]

These two 2cy suggested argentatus/argenteus was caught and ringed in Enghaveparken Copenhagen on Feb this year. The first one was suggested by some observers to be a Yellow-legged Gull and the other one as Caspian Gull.

http://www.fugleognatur.dk/gallery.asp? ... &ID=115904
http://www.fugleognatur.dk/gallery.asp? ... &ID=115905

JanJ

[Theo Muusse]

Surely you know better, Jan.

Theo

[JanJ]

Surely you know better, Jan.

Theo

Well yes yes...

The first one was sent to gull people in east and south Europe by one of the ringers (I think) and the suggestion from these (don´t know which) was tthat it was probably not a pure Herring but probably a dark Caspian. So, this is for show.

JanJ

[marsmuusse]

The first bird:
http://www.fugleognatur.dk/gallery.asp? ... &ID=115904
Has anyone seen images of the inner primaries. In some way it looks similar to LBBG I've seen before...

[grzegorzneubauer]

It was me - perhaps among others - who commented on id of VAAK. That's what I wrote Kjeld on Feb 16th:

if underwing was pale enough I would go for cachinnans with darker-than-usual wings.
If no pale window was present on inner prims I would wonder of some LBBGs perhaps (reads as: better left unidentified).

Regards,
G.

[JanJ]

VAAK is an interesting gull, and a type LBBG was my initial thought as well, but a bit unsure of that. Both are labeled as Herring and VAAH might well be a pure Herring or maybe with Herring genes...
At the present they are being questioned as michahellis and cachinnans on the Netfugl forum by a few birders - which all belive they are actually Herrings.
I have asked for a wing pattern view, not knowing what Greg just said.

JanJ

[Lars krogh]

Hi Jan . I've seen both of gulls in the field and they both have pale windows on inner primaries like ordinary HG
, unfortunately i have don't have fotos of the birds flying ,only standing . I am quite sure that both VAAK and VAAH are herring gulls . Here a picture of VAAK , and other gull label by the ringers as a cachinnas x argentatus . what do you make of this bird ?.

[marsmuusse]

Aha, naughty Kjeld again, asked people private what they think about it. He better signs in at the forum!

Here is my private reply on his question...

Hi Kjeld,
Extraordinary bird! Don't see them a lot like this. I think, with
danger to be too quick in my response, that it is a 2cy LBBG
intermedius, with moulted scapulars, neck and sides of the breast.
This is the reason for the greyish look. Especially on jizz, it is the
best option that comes up, in my opinion.

Nice bird, fine catch!

Cheers, Mars

[JanJ]

As much as I could agree with Mars that VAAK could well be a LBBG, rather fresh juvenile wing coverts, tertials and primaries, the, according to Lars, Herring pale inner primaries is a bit worrying, that is to say that some LBBG shows surprisingly pale inner webs to inner prinmaries but not in a similar fashion to a typical Herring. However, this might not be a relevant observation but there´s something of a Herring facial physionomy about the gull.
In short, Lars other gull gives the impression of Herring x Caspian...

JanJ

[grzegorzneubauer]

Here is another gull from today, much closer to arg than VAAK when seen standing, but showing similar plain grey lower scaps and a sign of this contrast between white had and grey breast/sides.
Greg