Wintering gulls in Minsk (2012)

[Dmitry Goncharov]

Hello,
I will be grateful for any comments for the photos,
Dmitry

[Theo Muusse]

Many herring gulls, a ringed cachinnans (3cy) and a few unringed cachinnans in the first group picture.
Bird 1- bird 5 all herrings I think.

Theo

[marsmuusse]

HG age? = adult or near adult. Amount of black on bill may suggest 5cy; best would be to see the greater primary coverts. If there is still some black on the centres of these feathers, this is a good indication for immaturity (in HG-YLG-CG complex).

Cg? 2cy? = is a 1st winter / 2cy January bird indeed. But no pure Caspian imo, at least one of the parents should be Herring Gull I think. Interestingly, a bird with soem 2nd gen coverts.

bird 2 = not much wrong for pure caspian?

bird 3 = everthing on this bird shouts Herring Gull, except the head profile perhaps. But pattern on juvenile coverts and 2nd gen scaps, short legs all is good for Herring Gull.

bird 4 = Herring gull from this picture.

bird 5 = Herring Gull 2nd winter.

cach 3cy = cach 3cy. Nice ring.

canus = canus 1st winter bird.

[Dmitry Goncharov]

Theo & Mars,
Thanks for the substantial answer.
Unfortunately, a metal ring on cachinnans (3 CY) it was not possible to read.
Dmitry

[Alexandre]

as unusually long winter still continues here and rivers in Minsk are frozen gulls still congregate in the centre. It's easy to read rings when they stay on ice rather than swim) Today I have counted some 1600 argentatus/cachinnas on Svislach including leucistic argentatus.

[Dmitry Goncharov]

LBBG were marked on the spring migration on the river Svislotch 08.04.2013.

[Theo Muusse]

Nice fuscus fuscus!
Note the Helsinki ring.

Theo