2cy gull for ID, January 24th, Bucharest

[Cristian Mihai]

When I took the pics I was thinking Yellow-legged, but looking at the pics I'm not so sure...
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php ... 1264527997
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php ... 1264528012
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php ... 1264528021
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php ... 1264528032

[Jonas Landolt]

Hi Christian

I think it's a Caspian:
- small white head in contrast to the neck collar
- slender bill
- whitish underwing
- the wing pattern looks good for caspian
- second generation scapulars too

Good gulling
Jonas

[Cristian Mihai]

Thank you for your input Jonas.
Caspian it was my second idea too, for the same features written by you above.

Any other opinion?

[Jonas Landolt]

Why do you think it could be a ylg?
Lower mandible looks a little bit strange, but i can't see any ylg features or something that would not fit for caspian...

[Cristian Mihai]

The answer is simple: from some distance it didn't look like a "striking" Caspian and it was among many Yellow-legged Gulls of the same age. As a matter of fact, most of the birds seen by me there were Yellow-legged Gulls (I think I saw around 40 Yellow-legged and only two Caspian Gulls, including this one). My main concern it was to take pics with as many as possible birds (in a relative short time)...