CGs_Hortobágy_Hungary_2014_January_I

[hieraaetus]

Another batch of photos..

[Theo Muusse]

For 19 I vote for 3rd winter micha.

Great shots!

Theo

[hieraaetus]

For 19 I vote for 3rd winter micha.

Great shots!

Theo

Hi Theo,

It seems that No.18 in the series is the same bird in flight. Here is a picture of it sitting. To me it is more a CG but it would be nice to hear some more opinions on it.

Cheers,

Gabor

[lou bertalan]

hi gabor, theo,

it's definitely a male cachinnans type. such 3rd cycle individuals are very confusing because they don't match our image of a 3rd cycle cach (large p10 mirror, usually p9 mirror present also, long p10 tongues, black down to p4 or p5). but a small percentage of retarded 3rd cycle caspian gulls can look similar to same aged michahellis or tatus with only a small p10 mirror, short p10 tongues and black down to p3.

remember these:
a highly retarded 2cycle (3cy) in march (armin deutsch): http://gull-research.org/cachinnans/2cy/l010265.html
very retarded 3rd cycle(?) in september: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=949&p=3945#p3806 (that one possibly an advanced 2nd cycle with adult like inner primaries?)
and two 4cy (3rd cycles) with small p10 mirrors:
http://www.lou.bertalan.de/gulls/m_phi. ... nuary-june
http://www.lou.bertalan.de/gulls/m_phi. ... nuary-june

when i say cachinnans type i mean they are probably cachinnans but it's hard to tell if they don't have tatus blood...you can only speculate.

anyway, these are really good documentations, gabor, and some of your birds are really odd, like this other 3rd cycle: download/file.php?id=4544 with a "disturbed" p10 mirror.

keep photographing them!

lou