Large Gull for ID (and age) - Romania

[Cristian Mihai]

Opinion about the identity and age of this gull, please. Seen on August 12th near Bucharest.

http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php ... 1281629870
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php ... 1281629876
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php ... 1281629882
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php ... 1281629892
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php ... 1281629905

Thank you for help.

[Theo Muusse]

A 3rd cy, moulting into 3rd winter.
A LBBG, judged on grey tone and colour.
Knowing the location we deal with either a out of route graellsii/ intermedius or heuglini.
The moult score is fine for Dutch LBBG.
The all-white tail and jumping replaced secondaries may well suggest heuglini, but nothing sure for now from my side.
The tone of the grey upperparts look a bit too blue for a Dutch/ English bird...

Theo Muusse

[Cristian Mihai]

Thank you for your input, Theo.

[Ruud Altenburg]

Looks very much like a graellsii/intermedius. If 3cy heuglini can look like this, identification of 3cys is hopeless!

[Cristian Mihai]

Thank you very much for your comment, Ruud. I don't have any experience with LBBGs, because this species is a rather rare vagrant, here in Romania. But some people familiar with this species told me the same thing - that it looks rather like a western type (graellsii/intermedius).